As the Titans ready to — presumably — select Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick on Thursday night, the franchise does have someone with recent experience in coaching a top quarterback.
Tennessee head coach Brian Callahan noted his experience with Cincinnati and Joe Burrow during Tuesday’s pre-draft press conference. Callahan was the Bengals’ offensive coordinator when they selected Burrow in 2020, holding the position from 2019-2023 when he was hired to take over the Titans.
“I think one of the things unique to my journey in this profession is I’ve done it before, too,” Callahan said. “I’ve been a part of a young quarterback, No. 1 overall pick, coming into a team that picked No. 1 for a reason. We weren’t good enough last year, so we’re picking first, and we have a chance to add a really good player with the first overall pick — whoever it ends up being.
“But there is a lot of things that I learned from that lesson of when you bring in a player like that that’ll help us in the process. So, I think we’ve added the right players in free agency. I think we have good young players here. We’ve got to do a lot better job coaching, first and foremost, and put ourselves in some better positions. So, those things to me are all part of the equation, and I feel good about where we’re at, where we’re headed, and how we’re going to get there.”
To that end, Callahan said he doesn’t feel any extra pressure to make sure things go as planned with a first overall pick like Ward.
“I think the old adage is pressure is a bit of privilege,” Callahan said. “You get a chance to work with a great player when you pick him at the top of the draft. If it so happens to be a quarterback, then that doesn’t change anything for me — how I go about my job, what I do on a day-to-day basis, what I believe about the development of the position. None of that changes.
“It’s exciting. It’s what you hope for. It’s what you want as a coach, is those types of players on your roster — you want to coach them, you want to be a part of that journey. I’ve been fortunate to be a part of a few of them. It’s exciting, and so there’s nothing added to what already is the job. That’s just part of it. And I’m fully aware of the expectation that comes along with that, and I embrace it. I’m excited for that to happen.”
Tennessee Titans will not trade No. 1 overall pick, likely to draft Cam Ward
Just around 48 hours from the 2025 NFL Draft, a decision appears to have been made about the No. 1 overall pick. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the Tennessee Titans will be keeping the pick and making the selection.
Rapoport says interest did come about a potential trade from two teams. While both are currently looking for a franchise quarterback, neither was able to strike a deal with Tennessee. And in Rapoport’s opinion, there was never much interest from the Titans in moving out of the top spot.
“A significant moment for the Tennessee Titans, making a firm and final decision that the No. 1 overall pick is not going anywhere,” Rapoport said Tuesday. “There was interest… My understanding is that the interest came from the New York Giants, which has been in the market for a franchise quarterback for a couple years… The New Orleans Saints were be the other team, said to have some interest in coming up to No. 1. They just never really sounded, to me guys, like the Tennessee Titans were really interested in moving, or considering it.”
Staying at No. 1, there is not much doubt as to whose name Roger Goodell will call for the Titans. Miami quarterback Cam Ward has been rumored to be the guy for a while. Rapoport continues to hear positive things regarding Ward as Tennessee appears to be quite excited about his future.
“It does seem to be Cam Ward,” Rapoport said. “All of the research they’ve done, and it’s been a lot and they’ve taken a little more time than other organizations may have just to get to this point, to make sure it’s firm, final, and a consensus. It does seem like Cam Ward, when we get there, likely to be the pick, and that is, in fact, their franchise quarterback.”
Thursday will be the third time the Titans have picked No. 1 overall in franchise history. However, two of them were as the Houston Oilers. John Matuszak (1973) spent just one season in the Space City while Earl Campbell (1978) ran his way into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Everyone with the Titans will be hoping Ward’s career mirrors Campbell more than Matuszak’s. Just one season with Miami was enough to raise his stock. Tennessee wants Ward’s rise to continue at the next level and become a franchise staple for the years to come.
