Titans HC Admits Big Mistake

The Tennessee Titans opened the 2025 season with a hard-fought loss to the Denver Broncos. They went on the road and faced one of the toughest teams in the league in week one, and had them on the ropes until the very end. One play could've changed the outcome of this game, which is why Titans Head Coach Brian Callahan was criticized for not challenging a potential 20-yard completion to rookie receiver Elic Ayomanor, which would've put the Titans in Broncos' territory.

It was late in the third quarter, and the Titans were trailing the Broncos by a score of 13 to 12. They had the ball on their own 31-yard line and were facing a 1st-and-20 situation. The offense had been pretty stagnant to that point and were looking for a big play. Callahan dialed up a deep ball to Ayomanor, and Cam Ward delivered a beautiful pass down the sideline. Ayomanor appeared to make the catch, but the refs called him out of bounds, and the Broncos would eventually punt it away.

It turns out Ayomanor actually made the catch. He caught the ball and his elbow hit in the field of play before he tumbled out of bounds. By rule, getting an elbow in bounds is the equivlent of two feet, and it should've been a catch, but after some assistance from his replay guys above, Callahan did not challenge the play.

After the game, Callahan was questioned on why he didn't throw the red flag. He thought Ayomanor also would've needed a foot to hit in bounds for it to be a catch, so they didn't challenge. It was a complete misunderstanding of the rules by the Titans' staff, and it may very well have altered the ending of this game.

Tennessee Titans, HC, Brian Callaha — Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

"You've got to get a foot in bounds, too," said Callahan after the game. "We didn't have a clean look at whether his foot was down too. An elbow doesn't equal two feet, so his foot would've had to come down as well. We didn't have a clean look, so the call from upstairs was that it wasn't worth challenging."

Less than 24 hours after the game, Callahan took the podium again to speak with the media. He was quick to rectify his statement and take the blame for his mistake. He should've challenged the play, but he can't turn back the clock and redo it.

"Ultimately, my interpretation of the rule was wrong," said Callahan. "I'll own it. We should've challenged the play, and that's pretty much all I can say about it."

If the Titans had challenged, it would've been overturned, and they would've taken over on the Broncos' 48-yard line. There's no telling if the play would've given them enough momentum to go down and score a touchdown or if they'd have gotten close enough for a field goal, but it's safe to say that, had they challenged it, the outcome of this game could've been different.

Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!