Titans president of football operations: ‘Nobody wants to hear that word patience’ as team rebuilds

By Canadian Press on July 22, 2025.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans aren’t putting a measuring stick on what counts as success for 2025.

Chad Brinker, the Titans’ president of football operations, said Tuesday he just wants to see improvement after going 3-14 in 2024 and drafting at No. 1 overall in April.

“Nobody wants to hear that word patience,” Brinker said as the Titans reported for training camp. “But the reality is we understand where we are as a roster. We got a lot of work to do, and we’re going to be relying on a lot of young players this season to carry this football team.”

Tennessee starts training camp Wednesday trying to snap a skid of three straight losing seasons, each with more losses than the season before. The three victories in 2024 were the least by the franchise since going 3-13 in 2015.

The roster has had a dramatic makeover. The Titans added 34 free agents with five more through waivers or trades. Quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick overall, heads up a nine-player draft class.

“I do want to see our football team improve day to day, week to week to where by the end of the season, we’ll see what we look like,” Brinker said. “And hopefully we’re healthy. It’s a war of attrition.”

Coach Brian Callahan is scheduled to speak to reporters before Wednesday’s first practice of camp. Both Brinker and general manager Mike Borgonzi said they liked Callahan’s approach this offseason, emphasizing competition to help clean up mistakes and issues that led to losses in his first season as a head coach.

With Borgonzi hired as the new GM in January, Callahan’s job security is a big question with the Titans working on an enclosed stadium opening in 2027. Brinker said he’s seen Callahan grow in confidence, communication and how he and his assistants have developed players.

“We believe in Brian,” Brinker said.

Staying put

Borgonzi said they’re happy with the quarterback room as it is now. The Titans announced Monday that Will Levis decided to have season-ending shoulder surgery in a surprising move. Ward is expected to be the starter when the season opens Sept. 7 at Denver, but Levis had an open path to be the backup.

Now nobody currently on the roster took a snap under center for Tennessee last season. Ward is joined by a pair of journeymen in Brandon Allen, 32, and Tim Boyle, 30.

Allen, a sixth-round pick by Jacksonville out of Arkansas in 2016, has played for Denver, Cincinnati and San Francisco. He started a game last season and appeared in two others for the 49ers, throwing for 199 yards with one TD pass and two interceptions.

Boyle is with his seventh NFL team. He appeared in three games last season for Miami and the New York Giants. He has more career interceptions (13) than touchdown passes (five).

PUP list

A pair of starters will begin camp on the physically unable to perform list. Borgonzi said center Lloyd Cushenberry and conerback L’Jarius Sneed are both week to week.

Cushenberry is working to return from the Achilles tendon injury that limited him to eight games last season. Sneed, a big trade acquisition in March 2024, is trying to return now from an injured knee after a procedure in May. A quadriceps injury put him on injured reserve after he played only five games.

Borgonzi said edge rusher Lorenzo Carter told him Monday that he’s retiring.

Ready to go

Wide receiver Treylon Burks (partially torn ACL) and rookie safety Kevin Winston Jr., (ACL) will be available fully Wednesday.

Joint practices

The Titans will practice with the Buccaneers once ahead of their preseason opener Aug. 9. They have two joint practices Aug. 12 and 13 with the Falcons in Atlanta before their preseason game Aug. 15.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press