Titans Prioritizing Wins Over Draft Picks

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When the Tennessee Titans fired Brian Callahan, it seemed like this season was a lost cause. Instead, they're beginning to put it all together and have won two of their last three games.
The Titans are still far from a great team in the NFL, but they're doing the work it takes to get to that point.
Sure, having the No. 1 overall draft pick would be nice, but Ian Rapoport said it best: winning builds culture.
Had the Titans lost their last 12 games of the year, there would be little to no hope. They could've easily finished with just the fluke win over Arizona, but instead they've embraced the challenges thrown in front of them and are playing some of their best football of the year.

Titans Building Momentum Means More Than High Draft Pick
TEAM win pic.twitter.com/6BFiYYJbwD
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 21, 2025
In a quarterback-heavy draft class, there's no doubt it would've been amazing to have the No. 1 pick and trade down. Instead, the Titans are trending anywhere from No. 3 to No. 7. There are still a ton of games that need to play out, including the last two weeks, which could see the Titans grab another win.
At this point in the season, finishing 3-2 in their last five would do wonders. The New Orleans Saints are red hot since they changed quarterbacks, so that will be quite the challenge for Tennessee on December 28.
Going 3-2 in their final five would be incredibly knowing they finished with just three wins last season. As the Titans continue to build more momentum, the wins will continue to come. At the end of the day, it's about a winning mindset and that's currently something the Titans have.
Titans Players Want Wins, Not Draft Picks
QB1 checking in after the W pic.twitter.com/6YfbsfE1d5
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 21, 2025
A few weeks ago, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons talked about how no one in the locker room is discussing the No. 1 pick. Whether Tennessee picks at No. 1 or No. 8, they remain focused on winning.
Even though they beat the Kansas City Chiefs third string quarterback, a win is a win. It was a dominant win at that, as this team is peaking at the right time. There may only be two games left, but those are their final chances to build momentum going into next year.
Should the Titans lose to the Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars, they'll finish 3-14 once again. That won't be good enough for the No. 1 overall pick, but it'll land them in the sweet spot for either a new WR1 or a stellar defensive player to further strengthen their roster.
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Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.