The Tennessee Titans made a significant change to their management team, firing general manager Ran Carthon after two seasons of disappointing performance, the team announced on January 7, 2025. This decision came following the Titans' disastrous season, where they finished with a record of 3-14, earning them the No. 1 overall pick for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk expressed her deep disappointment, stating, "It's impossible to ignore our football team hasn't improved over the past two years." Under Carthon’s leadership, the team achieved just nine wins and twenty-five losses, a grim statistic highlighting the franchise's struggles. Strunk elaborated, saying, "I am deeply disappointed in our poor win-loss record during this period, of course, but my decision also speaks to my concern about our long-term future should we stay the course." The statement underscored her commitment to reshaping the Titans' future.
Despite the termination of Carthon, head coach Brian Callahan will remain with the team. Callahan, who faced his own challenges during his rookie season as head coach, stated, "It is embarrassing. I do not like standing up here talking about having the first pick in the draft. I don't like the fact we won three games. It's not the standard I set for myself." His words reflect not only his frustration, but also the urgency he feels to turn the team's fortunes around.
The Titans' lackluster performance this season can be attributed to several factors, including poor quarterback play and significant turnover within the team. The offense finished among the bottom ten teams of the NFL, averaging just 18.3 points per game and suffered from many turnovers. Callahan acknowledged he needed to do "a beter job as a head coach, so we are not in this situation again at any point." His challenge now will be to improve what has been described as inconsistent, particularly with quarterback Will Levis, whom the Titans selected second overall last season under Carthon's guidance.
With Chad Brinker leading the search for the team's next GM, the goals for the new hire will be ambitious. According to Brinker, the ideal candidate will be someone who has spent their career as a scout and possesses experience setting draft boards with successful organizations. The emphasis will be on identifying talent to radically change the team's fortunes, particularly with the top draft pick at their disposal.
Callahan, who had previously been the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, is under pressure to replicate the success he had there, especially after leading the Bengals to significant improvements. He has the opportunity to attract the right quarterback to the franchise, akin to how the Bengals drafted Joe Burrow after their own struggles. The transition to new leadership will be pivotal, as prospective general managers frequently prefer to choose their own head coach.
The Titans' struggles this season were compounded by the departure of key players and issues with injuries. Important players brought under Carthon’s tenure, such as wide receiver Calvin Ridley and running back Tony Pollard, have experience yet the franchise struggled to maintain consistency on the field. Ridley was particularly effective with over 1,000 yards of offense, but the team’s overall execution was not sufficient to win games.
The firing of Carthon marks yet another significant change for the Titans, culminating years of transitional leadership within the organization. Strunk had already made waves by dismissing the previous head coach, Mike Vrabel, and entrusting Carthon to restructure the coaching staff and roster. While Callahan aims to implement his vision for the team, the broader challenges still loom large.
Burke Nihill, the Titans' president and CEO, shared insights on the organizational dynamics, emphasizing the need for clarity within the football operations. Nihill noted, "At the end of the day, this is a results-oriented business. Amy’s assessment is we needed to make a change." This perspective reiterates the ownership's realignment toward building a more competitive and successful franchise.
Now, with the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 2017, the Titans have the chance to reshape their roster dramatically. There is speculation about the team’s next moves, particularly whether the new general manager will target prospects like Shedeur Sanders from Colorado, assuredly their immediate attention will be directed toward finding the right quarterback who fits Callahan’s system.
For the Titans to return to their winning ways, the franchise must address inconsistencies, nurture talent, and set the groundwork for sustained success. The upcoming days and weeks will be pivotal as the organization seeks to capitalize on this transitional phase, defining the future path for the Titans' resurgence.