The Tennessee Titans drafted Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick in April, and the Miami product has fairly high expectations this season. However, coming off a 3-14 season, the Titans are far from a perfect situation. Recently, it was reported that the Titans considered moving off head coach Brian Callahan after just one season.
If the Titans had fired Callahan, that would have marked their third coach in three seasons. The Titans also fired their general manager, Ran Carthon, after just two seasons.
Undoubtedly, this makes the Titans' situation seem even worse. The quarterback-coach connection is central to success in the NFL. With a coach on a red-hot seat, the Titans are putting Ward in a tough spot.
Brian Callahan being on the hot seat puts Cam Ward in a tough spot
This is one of those reports where you have to wonder why exactly this got leaked, especially so close to the season. If it was reported back in January or February, that's one thing, but in August, this just feels odd. Now the Titans have a bigger spotlight on them, and if they get off to a slow start, rumors around Callahan will begin swirling.
It also begs the question, why would the Titans trust Callahan to develop Ward if they nearly fired him after last season?
Bad coaching can negatively impact a rookie QB. Just look at the Matt Eberflus-Caleb Williams combo last season. Conversely, Dan Quinn positively impacted Jayden Daniels. In a weak AFC South, it's not far-fetched to believe the Titans could have a surprise turnaround season. However, with Callahan openly on the hot seat, that now seems less probable.
Titans can't afford to make another mistake with Cam Ward
Callahan spent four years as the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator, so he knows how to build an elite offense. It could be argued that Callahan was simply dealt a tough hand with Will Levis being the starting quarterback. Nevertheless, this report negates any possible positive momentum behind Callahan.
Ward, like all rookie QBs, needs some organizational and coaching stability. Unfortunately, that's something that the Titans don't seem to be offering him. For Ward, especially, this stability will be necessary. He's an ultra-talented QB with an incredible arm and the ability to improvise at a high level. However, Ward also takes a ton of risks and thus could benefit from some stability.
Ultimately, Callahan appears to be in one of the hottest seats in the league, and this puts Ward in a brutal spot for his rookie season. On the bright side, if Ward can overcome this coaching drama, we could be looking at a future superstar.