After recording a 3–14 record last season, the Tennessee Titans entered 2025 with a new head coach, Brian Callahan, and the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. To no one’s surprise, they selected Davey O’Brien Trophy winner and college phenom Cam Ward, hoping he could turn around the franchise. But with the Titans off to a 1–5 start, it was clear that something had to change. Callahan inherited a tough situation from day one — a roster lacking a true superstar, consistent quarterback play, or a reliable offensive line.
Despite those challenges, he stayed composed, worked tirelessly, and never publicly complained. Still, the NFL is a results-driven league, and Callahan’s one-and-a-half-year tenure came to an early end. Coaches getting fired during their rookie quarterback’s first season isn’t rare — and history shows it doesn’t always spell disaster. Let’s look at three examples from the past fifteen years when a team fired its head coach in their quarterback’s rookie year, and how those teams bounced back. We’ll also see why the Titans’ current situation feels eerily familiar to another team from just a season ago.
Photo Cred: USA Today
The Firings
2014 – Oakland Raiders // Dennis Allen // Derek Carr
Dennis Allen posted back-to-back 4–12 seasons before being fired after an 0–4 start to 2014 — rookie Derek Carr’s first year. The Raiders finished 3–13, then hired Jack Del Rio as head coach. The turnaround was immediate. Del Rio named Latavius Murray the full-time starter, allowing Carr to take a major leap in 2015 with 32 passing touchdowns and seven wins.
By Carr’s third season, the Raiders won 12 games, fueled by a dominant rushing attack and 1,000-yard seasons from Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. While the Raiders never became perennial contenders under Carr, this was one of the first modern examples showing that the coach who drafts a quarterback isn’t always the right one to develop him — and that a change in leadership can unlock a young QB’s potential.
Photo Cred: SI
2015 – Tennessee Titans // Ken Whisenhunt // Marcus Mariota
The 2014 Titans season was forgettable. Under new head coach Ken Whisenhunt, the team went 2–14 while rotating through Jake Locker, Charlie Whitehurst, and Zach Mettenberger at quarterback. The reward for all that losing? The No. 2 pick in the draft — used on Marcus Mariota out of Oregon. However, after a 1–6 start in 2015 (with the lone win a 42–14 blowout over Tampa Bay), Whisenhunt was dismissed. In a controversial decision, Tennessee promoted Mike Mularkey to interim head coach and later removed the interim tag.
The move paid off. With Mularkey, Mariota flourished. The offense leaned on DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, while Mariota threw seven more touchdowns, one fewer interception, and led the team to eight wins in his second season. The following year, they notched nine wins and reached the playoffs. Whisenhunt was the coach who drafted Mariota, but the front office felt the team needed “more progress on the field.” In hindsight, the change was necessary — it gave Mariota the stability and scheme fit he needed to grow.
2024 – Chicago Bears // Matt Eberflus // Caleb Williams
After a three-win 2022 season, the Chicago Bears traded away the No. 1 overall pick for a haul of assets, signaling a long-term rebuild. Head coach Matt Eberflus returned for 2023, rolling with Justin Fields and improving to seven wins. Thanks to the trade, the Bears owned Carolina’s 2023 first-round pick, which became the No. 1 overall pick in 2024. Chicago selected Caleb Williams out of USC — the franchise quarterback they had long been waiting for.
The 2024 season started strong at 4–2, with wins over Buffalo, Cincinnati, and Kansas City. Then came the collapse — six straight losses, capped by a brutal hail-mary defeat to Washington. Poor roster management, inefficient play-calling, and clock mismanagement forced the front office’s hand, firing Eberflus midseason — a first in franchise history. That offseason, Chicago hired Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator behind Detroit’s top-ranked offense. The results were immediate: the Bears opened the 2025 season scoring 21+ points in each of their first five games — something they hadn’t done in over two decades.
What’s Next for Tennessee?
For now, senior offensive assistant Mike McCoy will finish the season as interim head coach. It’s unlikely he’ll keep the role permanently, as GM Mike Borgonzi, in his first year, gets his chance to handpick his own head coach. Several names will surface — Matt Nagy, Marcus Freeman, Mike Kafka, and others — but the Titans need a home-run hire this time.
One name that makes perfect sense: Kliff Kingsbury.
Currently the offensive coordinator in Arizona, Kingsbury has prior head coaching experience with the Cardinals (and at Texas Tech) and a strong connection to the Lincoln Riley coaching tree — the same system Cam Ward thrived in at Washington State. His offense emphasizes dynamic, movement-based quarterback play, creative passing concepts, and tempo — all things that would fit Ward’s skill set perfectly. Whether it’s Kingsbury or another offensive-minded coach, one thing is clear: the Titans’ next hire must prioritize developing Cam Ward and building an identity around their young quarterback.
