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Who is Brian Callahan? Tennessee Titans' new coach worked with Joe Burrow, Peyton Manning
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- Who is Brian Callahan? Tennessee Titans' new coach worked with Joe Burrow, Peyton Manning
The Tennessee Titans are working to finalize the hiring of Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as the team's next coach, a source with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Tennessean on Monday evening.
Callahan , 39, will become a first-time head coach but he has been the Bengals' offensive coordinator for the past five seasons and has more than a decade of experience as an assistant coach in the NFL.
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He'll be tasked with elevating a Titans offense that has largely struggled the past two seasons. Callahan will have a mostly blank canvas to work with (besides second-year quarterback Will Levis ) in 2024. Derrick Henry will be a free agent, while the receiving corps and offensive line will need some refurbishing in the offseason.
Here's what to know about Callahan:
Brian Callahan's work with Joe Burrow , Bengals offense
Callahan has been the Bengals' offensive coordinator for all five seasons of Zac Taylor's tenure. While Taylor has been the main playcaller, Callahan has played a major role in gameplanning and shaping an offense that has become one of the league's best with Joe Burrow at quarterback.
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Burrow was drafted No. 1 overall by the Bengals in the 2020 draft, and Callahan has played a major role in Burrow's development. The Bengals were 7th in points scored in 2021 and 2022, the two seasons in which Burrow has been available throughout. Cincinnati went to the Super Bowl and made the AFC Championship Game in those two seasons.
After Burrow suffered a season-ending injury in Week 11 this past season, Callahan helped inexperienced backup quarterback Jake Browning thrive in the final seven games of the season. Browning exceeded Burrow's marks in completion percentage, passer rating and most efficiency numbers while compiling a 4-3 record in his first NFL action. The Bengals ended up with a 9-8 record, scoring 27 or more points in four of Browning's seven starts.
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Brian Callahan with Broncos for Peyton Manning era, Super Bowl 50 win
Callahan began his NFL coaching career with the Denver Broncos , first as a coaching assistant in 2010 and later as an offensive quality control coach and an offensive assistant.
Callahan first was hired onto John Fox's staff in 2010 and was an offensive assistant during the beginning of the Peyton Manning era in Denver. He continued on the Broncos staff when Gary Kubiak was hired in 2015. Callahan's title in 2015 was offensive assistant/quarterbacks; he worked with Manning in Manning's final season, along with Brock Osweiler who started seven games that season as Manning missed time with a foot injury. Manning returned for the final week of the regular season and led the Broncos to a Super Bowl 50 victory over the Carolina Panthers .
Callahan got his first opportunity as a position coach following that season, spending two years as the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions . He also spent a season as quarterbacks coach with the Raiders before taking the offensive coordinator job in Cincinnati.
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Brian Callahan's dad is ex-Raiders, Nebraska coach Bill Callahan
Brian Callahan is the son of former Raiders and Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, who helped the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII.
Bill Callahan and the 2002 Raiders made the Super Bowl after a 41-24 win in the AFC Championship Game over the Titans. That victory was the peak of Bill Callahan's Raiders tenure; the Raiders were blown out by Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII, then went 4-12 in 2003. Raiders owner Al Davis fired Bill Callahan, who then took the Nebraska job in 2004. After four seasons with the Cornhuskers, Bill Callahan was fired and returned to the NFL as the Jets' offensive line coach. That is one of four NFL teams in which he has served in that role since then.
Bill Callahan is currently the Cleveland Browns ' offensive line coach.
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Brian Callahan age, college
Age: 39
Hometown:Champaign, Illinois
College:UCLA
Coaching resume: Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator (2019-23), Oakland Raiders quarterbacks coach (2018), Detroit Lions quarterbacks coach (2016-17), Denver Broncos offensive assistant (2013-15), Denver Broncos offensive quality control assistant (2011-12), Denver Broncos coaching assistant (2010)
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Who is Brian Callahan? Titans' new coach worked with Joe Burrow, Peyton Manning
