The Tennessee Titans’ 2024 season has been a total disappointment. Not only is Tennessee 3-11 entering Week 16, but also just made the tough decision to bench quarterback Will Levis — the player who they hoped could be the face of the franchise.
Brian Callahan held a press conference on Wednesday to explain his decision to bench Levis in favor of Mason Rudolph, but the media availability quickly turned into the most fiery showing of Callahan’s young career. When the first-year head coach was asked about some believing his team was soft both physically and mentally, Callahan went on an epic rant.
“I mean, you really want to get me going today?” Callahan said. “Yeah, I think to be honest with you, I think that’s complete and total bullshit if you want my honest opinion. These guys are tough f–kers, man, they go after it every day. They play hard as hell, and at no point have we ever put on tape at any point this season that this is a soft football team. I can’t even wrap my mind around how that would even be a conversation. I mean, just because we don’t win games doesn’t mean we’re soft.
“These guys play their ass off, they play hard, they play physical. You can ask any team that plays against us that when they come off the field, they know they played us. Yeah, that makes me relatively angry that that would be some presumption. That means you just don’t watch the shit. You don’t know what you’re talking about, you don’t know what you’re looking at. So, I’m not going to stand for anybody calling this football team soft. I think that’s bullshit.
“So if there are opinions out there that feel that way, then they don’t know anything about NFL football. I’d like for you to walk in there and call one of these guys soft and see what happens, you know? This is not a soft football team at all, mentally or physically. And I think one of the things mentally that’s really been impressive about the team is the way that they keep fighting through the way this season has gone. They’ve not shown at any point that they’re not up to the task. They come out every day and work, they have …”
Callahan then paused and took a breath.
“You’re gonna really get me going now. I mean these guys come out here and they do everything possible to win games. And if there’s any assumption anywhere that’s outside of this building — again, we don’t focus on all those things, but there’s no possible explanation to say that this team is soft any way, shape or form, mentally or physically. And the way that they go about their work, it’s insulting to me, to them, to everyone that works here… No chance ever in hell would I ever admit that to be the case, and neither would anybody in this locker room. So you can kind of shove that one right up your ass to be honest.”
Callahan hasn’t done much to win over the Titans fan base in his first season, but this emotional defense of his players and their desire to compete is something that will. Just because the Titans have been eliminated from playoff contention does not mean their season is over. They are still going to compete, and attempt to take the fight to their final three opponents.
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