Titans Coaching Candidates: Getting To Know Bengals OC Brian Callahan

Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan is an NFL legacy, the son of a coach. But his career is one of his own making. Next week, Callahan is expected to have a second, in-person interview for the Tennessee Titans coaching job.

NASHVILLE — Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan got an early start in his football journey as the son of longtime NFL coach Bill Callahan.

Learning the game at the dinner table from a renowned offensive line coach with years of head coaching experience gave the younger Callahan a unique advantage in his climb.

And it might have been easy for Brian to lean on his father for a job, given that Bill Callahan was head coach at Nebraska when Brian completed his playing career and graduated from UCLA. 

But the son took a more challenging path, which might explain why he's being considered for multiple coaching positions, including the Tennessee Titans.

"I didn't want my first job to be from my dad," Brian said in a 2021 interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer. "I never really wanted my dad to give me a job, either. I never wanted to work for him. I always wanted to work with him at some point, but his advice was to earn your own way in the profession. I think I did."

Callahan spent two years, from 2006 to 2008, as a graduate assistant at UCLA. He then spent two seasons at Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, Calif., coaching wide receivers before becoming a QB coach.

Callahan began his career in the NFL as an assistant coach for the Denver Broncos in 2010 and held various positions until 2015, including offensive quality control coach and offensive assistant.

Callahan also worked for the Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders before joining the Bengals in 2019 as offensive coordinator. 

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for more than 4,000 yards in both seasons with Callahan as his quarterback coach. Derek Carr's first 4,000-yard season in 2018 was Callahan's only year with the Raiders. 

In Cincinnati, Callahan doesn't call plays, but Bengals head coach Zac Taylor considers Callahan crucial to the functioning of the team's offense, specifically talented quarterback Joe Burrow and star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

During this past season, Callahan gained even more recognition as he helped maintain the Bengals offense's momentum after Burrow injured his throwing hand. Callahan's guidance allowed backup quarterback Jake Browning to step in and keep the offense performing at a high level, which kept the Bengals in playoff contention.

"He coordinates everything to do with (the offense)," Taylor told ESPN. "He establishes the structure of our offense. On game day, he and I are in constant communication. That is calling plays. That is establishing an offense. He's helped develop every position that we have.

"He's invaluable. There's not enough good things I can say about him."

Callahan, 39, is one of 11 current and former NFL assistants expected to compete for the Titans' coaching job. Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce, Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Ravens defesive coordinator Mike Macdonald, and Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown have had first interviews.

The Titans have requested interviews with the Detroit Lions' Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson and the Philadelphia Eagles' Brian Johnson. Plus, ESPN reports that former Stanford coach and NFL assistant David Shaw will interview this weekend.

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