Titans Doomed for Historically Bad AFC South Mark

The Tennessee Titans, especially in recent years, are no strangers to disappointing campaigns in the form of low-win finishes. Mike Vrabel’s relative downturn before his firing just over two seasons ago was one thing, although Brian Callahan, his immediate replacement, mustering just three wins in his inaugural season was an entirely different sort of letdown.

Regarding the team’s current 2025-26 - half of which was under Callahan and now, after his departure, is led by interim head coach Mike McCoy - their 1-9 record looks bad enough on the surface, signaling a Titans’ potential final tally worse than what was previously thought plausible. Although below their one-win slate lies a tidbit of history that is most unfortunately in the making.

Unfortunate Record in the Making

Thus far this season, the Titans are 0-4 through four contests in the AFC South Division; two losses to the Indianapolis Colts and two to the Houston Texans, split at and away from home. If Tennessee fails to win either of their final two “in-house” battles over the second half of the season - both of which are against the Jacksonville Jaguars - they’ll end up winless in their league for the first time in over 40 years.

To boot, the last time the negative feat was achieved (if such a word is appropriate), in 1982, was before the Tennessee Titans existed at all.

Quarterback Will Levis and running back Derrick Henry in the Tennessee Titans' former throwback jerseys | Steve Roberts/USA Today

Limiting Circumstances

The then-Houston Oilers, who finished with an overall record one loss shy of Tennessee’s current metric (1-8), were alongside the rest of the league’s teams in ensuring a strike-shortened, nine-game season, stripping many teams of opportunities for higher goals and development in either direction.

The result for the Titans’ predecessors, specifically, was an 0-4 finish in their division. A statistic that wouldn’t be repeated over the next near-half century, unless it happens now.

All the same, Tennessee can still put a stopper in the slamming door of history if they could just find a way to sync their array of moving pieces. In their last loss against the aforementioned Texans, 16-13, they came as close as they have been since their last win to doing so.

It’ll take an advanced effort on both sides of the ball, though the offense specifically has been the team’s greatest point of contention. If rookie quarterback Cam Ward can fully settle in, overcoming subpar performances from his veteran weapons and capitalize on what the defense gives him, perhaps the Titans can avoid this historical doom after all.

Although if Tennessee fans know anything at this point, it’s to not count on something good.

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