Tennessee
Titans Legend Sounds Off on Team’s GM Hire, Coaching Situation
The Tennessee Titans have some major changes ahead of them for what looks to be a critical offseason on the horizon, but at the very least, the franchise has its leaders in charge for this next regime both on the field and upstairs.
On the sidelines, it’s second-year head coach Brian Callahan, who didn’t have his best showing during his first season on the job, but still has some upside as an offensive mind and could be on a positive trajectory with another year at the helm and better pieces on his roster to work with.
And when you ask former Titans quarterback Warren Moon, he’s got some confidence in Tennessee’s head coach for another season.
Moon revealed some of his thoughts surrounding the Titans’ coaching situation during Super Bowl week, where the Hall of Famer said that if Callahan can get his ideal quarterback in the building, he’ll be in great shape.
“I think with Brian [Callahan], if he can get the trigger man that he wants, that would be big for him,” Moon said in an interview with Jim Wyatt. “Any head coach who comes from an offensive background like he does, and coming from a place where he had a player like Joe Burrow, he knows that’s what he needs in order to be successful. He needs to have a good quarterback to make everything go. I am sure he is hoping and praying he gets that, and if he does, they can be a competitive football team pretty quick. But they have to have a quarterback who can help give your team a chance to win every week.”
The Titans had their fair share of hiccups at the quarterback position in 2024, which added an extra layer of difficulty for Callahan in his first year on the job as an offensive-minded head coach. Yet, the sooner Tennessee can get that situation under wraps with a solid and consistent option under center –– however that may be –– the better things are for everyone involved on and off the field.
Moon also spoke about the Titans’ general manager hire with the new addition of Mike Borgonzi, and it’s clear that he’s got some confidence in their outlook within the front office as well.
“And Mike [Borgonzi], he comes from a good program, working under [Chiefs GM] Brett Veach,” Moon said. “Mike has been a part of what they’ve done there in Kansas City, and you can’t help but learn from the success that they’ve had… I would think Mike has a great chance to be successful, and he’ll be inclusive. In Kansas City, they all work together as a team. And in Tennessee, as long as they have collaboration, I think they’ll have harmony, and success.”
Considering Borgonzi’s long-spanning history with the Kansas City Chiefs as an assistant general manager, it’s hard to dislike the idea of traits of their operation rubbing off on the Titans, and hopefully help transition Tennessee to becoming a similarly-dominant program.
Time will tell if the Titans got it right at both head coach and general manager, but the former Tennessee alumni in Moon has faith in the two proving to be a successful tandem.
Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
Tracking the opt outs for both Tennessee and Illinois before the Music City Bowl on December 30 (5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville:
Tennessee
Linebacker Arion Carter: Carter over the last seasons had 96 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 31 career games. He had a team-high 76 tackles this season, with 6.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while appearing in 10 games. He missed two games and was limited against Oklahoma in November while dealing with turf toe injuries. Carter had 68 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss in 13 games last season and 17 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss in eight games as a freshman in 2023.
Wide Receiver Chris Brazzell II: He a breakout senior season in his second year with the Vols, catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 19 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, after transferring from Tulane. In 15 games at Tulane he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns. Brazzell is ranked No. 7 at wide receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft Big Board. He’s ranked No. 34 overall on ESPN’s list of the best available prospects in the draft.
Cornerback Jermod McCoy: Did not play this season after tearing his ACL during offseason training in January. He was a star last season with 44 tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions. He had 31 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games as a freshman at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee.
Illinois
Offensive Tackle J.C. Davis: Bret Bielema said the Illinois starting left tackle is opting out of the Music City Bowl. He was an All-Big Ten First Team pick by the league coaches this season and the No. 3 left tackle this season according to Pro Football Focus grades. He had made 49 straight starts before opting out of the bowl game.
EDGE Gabe Jacas: The Illinois outside linebacker declared for the NFL Draft on Friday night. He led the Big Ten this season with 11.0 sacks. He had 13.5 tackles for loss and 43 total tackles in 12 games this season. He finishes second in Illinois program history for career sacks, with 27.0, trailing only Simeon Rice. Jacas had 74 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss last season, after combining for 8.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss in his first two seasons at Illinois.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Tennessee employers laid off more than 8,500 workers in 2025 compared to 7,320 last year, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.
This is about a 19% increase in layoffs, with WARN notices impacting 8,691 Tennesseans to date. As of 2023, 5,168 Tennessee workers were laid off through WARN notices.
Counties in Middle Tennessee impacted include:
- Davidson
- Sumner
- Maury
- Rutherford
- Williamson
- Wilson
- Coffee
- DeKalb
- Bedford
- Lawrence
- Putnam
The largest layoff this year was in Maury County. Come January, 710 employees will be laid off from GM Ultium Cells’ Spring Hill facility. Research Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Michael Kofoed tells FOX 17 News that the facility is is likely impacted by the rise on steel tariffs ruled out by the Trump administration. He adds steel tariffs raise input costs for employers which directly impacts employees’ salary or employment.
The second largest layoff impacted 658 workers at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC in Rutherford County with 615 workers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center permanently laid off. WARN notices are reports a company is required to file with the state to give workers time to find future employment.
Kofoed states that Tennessee is seeing a troubling trend, with layoffs skyrocketing since 2023.
“That is a very big and concerning number,” Kofoed said.
According to CNBC, more than 1.1 million U.S. employees were laid off this year, the highest 11-month total since 2020.
Tennessee
Nonprofit rescues 11 ‘emaciated and suffering’ animals from Tennessee property ahead of dangerous cold snap
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) is asking for donations after rescuing 11 animals Friday.
ARC said it was contacted by law enforcement in an unidentified rural Tennessee area to rescue five dogs and six cats in what the nonprofit is calling “Operation Cold Snap.”
In the rescue, the nonprofit took in two emaciated Great Danes, three Pit Bulls and six cats. ARC said some of the animals are emaciated and suffering from untreated bite wounds and infections.
The nonprofit said the animals were kept without heat or regular care.
ARC shared a video of the rescue. In it, you can see the property s in disarray with trash littering the floor and overturned furniture.
This rescue comes just days before Middle Tennessee is expected to see its coldest temperatures of the season.
Now, ARC is asking for donations to help the 11 animals rescued Operation Cold Snap. Those interested in donating can do so on the nonprofit’s website.
Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.
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