Titans coach Brian Callahan admits misreading catch rule after loss to Broncos

Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan acknowledged Monday that he misinterpreted a key NFL catch rule and that his team should have challenged a third-quarter ruling during Saturday's 20-12 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Late in the third quarter, Titans receiver Elic Ayomanor appeared to make an acrobatic sideline catch that would have reached past midfield on a gain of more than 20 yards. Ayomanor landed with an elbow inbounds but did not get both feet down. Officials ruled the play incomplete on the field.

NFL catch rules allow a reception when a player gets two feet inbounds or any other non-hand body part — such as an elbow — inbounds, meaning Ayomanor's contact with the turf should have been sufficient for a catch. Callahan said after the game that the Titans elected not to challenge because they did not have a “clean look” and he believed the receiver had to get a foot down as well.

"Yeah, you got to get a foot in bounds too. Which, we didn't have a clean look at whether his foot was down as well. An elbow doesn't equal two feet," Callahan told reporters, according to video of the exchange. The coach reversed course the next day, telling reporters his interpretation of the rule was wrong and that the club should have challenged the play. He later added he had been aware of the rule but had misspoken the day before.

A successful challenge would have resulted in the ruling being overturned and the Titans retaining possession with significant field position late in the third quarter. Callahan's admission drew criticism from some fans on social media, with messages ranging from calls for his firing to broader expressions of frustration. "Brian Callahan is the worst coach in football," one user wrote. "Fire Brian Callahan ASAP," another posted. "This is absolutely BRUTAL. How many games does Brian Callahan have left as a Head Coach?" a third asked.

The game also marked the NFL debut of No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, the former Miami quarterback who struggled against a Denver defense. Ward completed 12 of 28 passes, threw no touchdowns and did not commit an interception as the Titans failed to generate enough offense to overcome the Broncos.

The Titans fell to 0-1 following the loss and will host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, a matchup in which the team will be looking to rebound and sharpen situational decision-making. League replay protocols and the challenge system give coaches a limited opportunity to contest on-field rulings, and the decision not to challenge in Denver figured prominently in postgame scrutiny of Tennessee's sideline management.

Callahan, in his remarks Monday, acknowledged the mistake and said the staff would review the sequence. "My interpretation of the rule was wrong, we should've challenged the play," he said. The admission ends lingering ambiguity about why the Titans did not pursue a review but does not change the outcome of Saturday's game.

The Titans' next game will offer another opportunity for the coaching staff and players to respond on the field and for officials' interpretations and replay decisions to again influence momentum in late-game situations.