Titans hand play-calling duties to Bo Hardegree as Callahan faces mounting scrutiny

Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan has decided to hand over play-calling duties to a member of his staff, quarterback coach Bo Hardegree, as the team searches for a spark through the first three weeks of the season.

The Titans are 0-3 after losses to the Indianapolis Colts, the Los Angeles Rams and the Denver Broncos. Fans expressed their frustration in a 41-20 loss to the Colts, with boos and chants directed at Callahan during the game, including a halftime moment on the field with controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk overseeing the proceedings. Callahan, asked after the game about his job security, said he does not worry about those questions and that his focus remains on getting the Titans into a better position. Since taking the job in January 2024, Callahan has gone 3-17 and has already endured nine straight losses dating back to his debut season.

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The decision to reassign play-calling duties reflects mounting pressure on Callahan amid the early-season slide. Hardegree, his quarterbacks coach, will assume the responsibility of directing the offense, while Callahan continues to oversee the broader coaching operation. The change comes after a sequence in a recent game where late in the first half the Titans faced a decision on a fourth-and-1 near midfield. An attempt to convert was ultimately overridden by a field-goal attempt that was affected by a delay-of-game penalty on the unit, contributing to a 20-6 halftime deficit. Callahan acknowledged that the play-calling sequence and the handling of the clock and penalties created a negative impression, but he stressed that the operational timing was not executed as intended.

The move to shift play-calling duties to Hardegree comes as the Titans prepare to hit the road for three consecutive games. If Tennessee does not win during that stretch, Callahan would finish 3-20 since taking over as head coach, a mark that would match one of the franchise’s earlier coaching dismissals. The looming schedule includes an Oct. 19 home game against New England, a matchup that will test the team’s ability to regroup after a difficult start. Strunk, the controlling owner who has overseen major coaching changes in recent years, was on the field during the Colts game and will again watch how the team responds to the new arrangement.

Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick, remains the Titans’ quarterback as the organization looks for a breakthrough in a season that has started in disappointing fashion. Ward has faced immediate scrutiny as the offense has struggled to produce consistent scoring and efficiency through the first three weeks. The pressure on Callahan is evident from the crowd reactions and the volume of discussion surrounding the team’s direction as Tennessee navigates a challenging early schedule while attempting to salvage its 2025 campaign.