Titans Need More Than Improved Culture

A pair of dreadful seasons for the Tennessee Titans in 2014-15 were followed up by continued success, leading them to the number one seed in the AFC at one point. Now, they've somehow fallen back to irrelevancy.

With the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, the Titans knew Cam Ward was their guy. After the failed Will Levis experiment last season, Levis decided to undergo season-ending surgery. Now, the fate of the team lies on Ward's shoulders.

Calvin Ridley is back for his second season as the 30-year-old undergoes a career resurgence. With the team's defense remaining a priority, LB Cody Barton recently spoke about the vibes in Tennessee's locker room.

"This is probably the funniest locker room I've been a part of. In just how tight-knit the guys are...," he said. "When you're on a team and everyone plays for each other, that's powerful."

The seventh-year linebacker recently signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Titans. He previously played on the Seattle Seahawks, Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. This season will be his third straight playing on a different team.

Gentry Estes of The Tennessean spoke to other key players on the team, including Ridley.

"It's just night and day," he said in comparison to one year ago.

RB Tony Pollard commented, "I feel like we're in a great place as far as leadership. That was something that we kind of questioned last year. It was kind of iffy on who the leaders were in this team. I feel like we're doing a great job in that area.”

The team recently named Cam Ward a captain despite being a rookie. Ward looked poised and confident in the preseason. HC Brian Callahan increased that confidence even further by naming him one of the team's seven captains.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) talks with other players after an NFL pre-season game against the Minnesota Vikings at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While it's great to hear the vibes are high in the locker room, that doesn't directly translate to wins on the field. A tight-knit locker room is fantastic on paper, but games aren't won in the locker room.

The first two weeks of the season will be a huge test for Tennessee. Ward steps into the spotlight against the Denver Broncos who were led to the playoffs last season by rookie QB Bo Nix. HC Sean Payton is going to look to expose the Titans in Week 1.

From there, Tennessee has a pair of home games. The state of the Los Angeles Rams remains up in the air, as does the Indianapolis Colts. If the Titans are able to jump out to a 2-1 start, they may be able to put the noise to rest.

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