Titans' Brian Callahan facing hot-seat pressure amid development of Cam Ward

Shortly after the Tennessee Titans fired general manager Ran Carthon following the club's 3-14 season this past January, Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker gave head coach Brian Callahan a public vote of confidence. 

For a story published on Tuesday, Jeremy Fowler and Turron Davenport of ESPN revealed that Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk wasn't completely sold on retaining Callahan earlier this year. 

"There was consideration given to completely cleaning house and sending Callahan on his way along with Carthon, multiple Titans sources confirmed," Fowler and Davenport shared. "Callahan and Carthon had a close relationship, and having the No. 1 pick (in the 2025 draft) gave Tennessee an opportunity to bring in a new general manager, coach and rookie quarterback at the same time. But the front office took an honest look at the talent on the roster and factored that into Callahan's record in his first season. The front office didn't lose sight of Callahan being one of the league's in-demand coaching candidates when the Titans hired him."

Callahan built an impressive resume while serving as the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator from 2019-23. Additionally, he had nothing to do with the Titans selecting quarterback Will Levis in the second round of the 2023 draft. 

Callahan benched Levis for poor play this past December. Levis may never take another meaningful in-game snap for the club after he needed season-ending shoulder surgery this summer. 

"We wanted to give him that opportunity to grow as a head football coach," Brinker told Fowler and Davenport about the Titans running it back with Callahan. "...We believe in Brian, and we think he's going to get there. So that's why he was retained."

For better or for worse, Callahan will forever be linked with the Titans selecting quarterback Cam Ward over wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and pass-rusher Abdul Carter with the first overall choice of this year's draft. New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen wanted to trade for what became the Ward pick, but Callahan and Co. seem convinced the 23-year-old can become an elite player at the position. 

Thus far, Ward has impressed his coaches and teammates with his work ethic, leadership qualities and his on-the-field performances. If, however, he largely looks like a project for the future when the games begin to matter, whispers suggesting the Titans could part ways with Callahan will almost certainly grow louder throughout the fall.