HEADLINES

Tennessee Titans News & Rumors

Texas HC Steve Sarkisian Denies Interest In NFL HC Job

October 26th, 2025 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

University of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was seen as a candidate for an HC gig in the NFL during the last hiring cycle, and he reportedly turned down interview requests from two pro clubs before signing a one-year extension with Texas that keeps him tied to the Longhorns through 2031. The latest reporting on Sarkisian’s potential jump to the NFL met with significant backlash.

On Saturday, Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) reported that Sarkisian’s camp has let NFL execs know the 51-year-old would be interested in joining the professional ranks as a head coach. Russini said Sarkisian would consider the Titans’ HC job, which is the only one currently manned by an interim bench boss (Mike McCoy, who took over after Brian Callahan’s in-season dismissal).

After Russini’s report was published, Sarkisian’s agents were quick to issue a statement refuting it. In that statement, Jimmy Sexton and Ed Marynowitz of CAA said, “[a]ny reports regarding communications on coaching opportunities are patently false and wildly inaccurate. Sark is solely focused on coaching the University of Texas football team.”

Following the Longhorns’ overtime victory against Mississippi State on Saturday, Sarkisian himself blasted Russini’s report during his post-game presser (video link).

In a lengthy diatribe, Sarkisian said, “I’d love to touch on this, so bear with me for a second, because it really pisses me off that one person can make a report that, in turn, the entire media and sports world runs with as factual, to the point that my agency and my agents had to put a statement out, which they’ve never done historically. CAA, Jimmy Sexton, Ed Marynowitz have never done that. But I had to do it to protect my locker room and my team, and I thought it was absolutely ridiculous” (via Anwar Richardson of OrangeBloods.com).

Sarkisian, whose last NFL work came as the offensive coordinator for the Falcons in the 2017-18 seasons, has been in Austin since 2021. He guided his team to the CFP semifinals in each of the past two seasons, and though the Longhorns are currently 6-2 and the No. 22 team in the country, one-score wins over unranked Kentucky and Mississippi State have not necessairly buoyed confidence in the program’s 2025 prognosis. In his first season as a full-time starter, quarterback Arch Manning has not lived up to the overwhelming hype that surrounded him before the campaign got underway, though he did play well in the victory over the Bulldogs.

Sources within the program have expressed optimism about Manning’s future, and Sarkisian’s contract is reflective of the school’s faith in its HC. That may not stop interested NFL teams from calling, but in order to put his current locker room and his recruits at ease, Sarkisian clearly felt it was necessary to adamantly deny the veracity of Russini’s report.

“I thought it was completely unprofessional of that person to put that report out, and the fact that everybody ran with it is borderline embarrassing for the media,” he added. “And I respect what you guys do — I really do — and everybody else. But the fact that everyone ran with that as truth is really embarrassing.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/25/25

October 25th, 2025 at 5:29pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s slate of games:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Recently named QB2 Shedeur Sanders found his way to the injury report today with a back injury. By elevating Zappe, Cleveland is ensuring Sanders won’t play tomorrow, since in order to have three quarterbacks dressed for gameday, all three passers must be on the 53-man roster. Zappe will back up Dillon Gabriel, and Sanders will likely be in sweats. Similarly in Carolina, with Bryce Young set to sit this week, Hooker has been called up to back up Andy Dalton.

Both Buccaneers quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Teddy Bridgewater, were on the injury report this week, though neither received a “questionable” injury designation as result of their ailments. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that both passers are expected to be available, but with Bazelak taking up a spot on the active roster, it seems likely that only one other quarterback will be suited up alongside the practice squad callup. Because Bazelak’s not on the 53-man roster, only two passers can be active. Tampa Bay can still designate Bazelak as the inactive third quarterback, but doing so would seemingly be making this elevation moot.

There is no corresponding move necessary for Philadelphia to add Cooper. The team received a two-game roster exemption after signing veteran defensive end Brandon Graham, so they had an open roster spot.

For Basham in Carolina and Jennings in New England, this will be their third and final standard gameday practice squad elevations. If either of their respective teams want them to play in another game this season, they will need to first be signed to the 53-man roster.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/25

October 24th, 2025 at 8:49pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves as we head into the eighth weekend of the regular season:

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

  • Claimed off waivers (from Vikings): LB Kobe King

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Mitchell-Paden, an undrafted free agent back in 2022, saw the first regular season snaps of his NFL career earlier this year as the Ravens dealt with the absence of a then-injured Isaiah Likely. Mitchell-Paden was waived yesterday in order to make room for practice squad quarterback Tyler Huntley, and New Orleans took the initiative to bring him on, cutting Jones, who had been promoted from the practice squad on Tuesday, to make room on the 53-man roster.

King was waived so that Minnesota could make room for running back Aaron Jones to come off of injured reserve, and Kinsey is getting promoted from the practice squad to the 53-man roster in Tennessee after appearing as an elevation is last week’s game. Saubert’s brief stint on the free agent market appears to have had some procedural purpose. Seattle released the veteran on Wednesday, and no other roster spot juggling was done before the team signed him back today.

Steelers Interested In Trading For WRs Jakobi Meyers, Calvin Ridley?

October 24th, 2025 at 9:52am CST by Adam La Rose

To no surprise, the Steelers are among the teams reported to be in the market for a receiver addition prior to the upcoming trade deadline. Specific targets on that front have now emerged.

Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports Pittsburgh is interested in Jakobi Meyers. That comes as little surprise given the market in place for the pending free agent. Meyers is still open to being moved (as he was in the summer), and the Raiders now appear to be willing to swing a trade. Coming off a 1,000-yard campaign in 2024, Meyers is one of the top trade targets at the receiver position this year.

While he will have a strong market as a result, the same may not be true of Calvin Ridley. Per Pauline, the Titans veteran is also a target of the Steelers. Ridley topped 1,000 yards during his single campaign with the Jaguars in 2023 and did so again last year while debuting in Tennessee. The 30-year-old has not enjoyed the same level of success this season with the Titans undergoing a coaching change in the midst of quarterback Cam Ward‘s rookie campaign. Ridley has surpassed 57 receiving yards just once in 2025 and he has yet to score a touchdown.

The former Falcons first-rounder is playing out the second season of his four-year, $92MM free agent deal signed last spring. Ridley is therefore not a rental, and taking on even a portion of his $22.49MM base salary for this year would not be feasible for many suitors. His contract also contains $3MM already locked in for next season with a $1MM roster bonus due in March. The Titans recently granted Tyler Lockett‘s request to be released, so moving on from another veteran wideout as part of a rebuilding phase would not entirely come as a surprise.

Pauline adds that Jaylen Waddle is also on Pittsburgh’s radar, although the Dolphins are not expected to deal away the fifth-year receiver. Waddle (like Ridley) would be viewed as more than a rental in the event of a swap, and absorbing his contract would be challenging compared to other WR options. The Steelers have shown interest in notable wideout additions even before their offseason decisions to trade away George Pickens and add D.K. Metcalf. The team’s depth chart beyond the former Seahawk is a question mark, so a move of some kind would be feasible given Pittsburgh’s approach to the 2025 campaign.

At this point, the Steelers have roughly $6.3MM in cap space. That figure could change if a restructure or cost-shedding move is to be made before the November 4 deadline, something which would signal a trade being imminent. Pittsburgh remains a team to watch closely over the coming days, and in particular it will be interesting to see if Meyers or Ridley become heavily linked to a trade there.

Titans Place CB L’Jarius Sneed On IR

October 23rd, 2025 at 12:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

L’Jarius Sneed has managed to play in each of the Titans’ first seven games this season. The veteran corner’s run of availability to begin the 2025 campaign has come to an end, however.

Sneed has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement. The move ensures he will miss at least the next four games. Tennessee’s secondary will be shorthanded as a result.

After playing just five games in 2024, Sneed’s Titans future was a talking point ahead of the current campaign. The former Chief has operated as a full-time starter this year, though, posting three pass deflections. Sneed has surrendered three touchdowns in coverage, a continuation of his poor showing in that regard from his time on the field last season.

In spite of those numbers, Sneed was in position to continue operating as a key figure in Tennessee’s secondary. The team will instead move forward without him in the picture for the time being. Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons is dealing with a hamstring injury at the moment. As such, the Titans will be notably shorthanded on defense as interim head coach Mike McCoy prepares for his second game at the helm.

Sneed received the franchise tag from Kansas City last offseason before ultimately being traded to Tennessee. Upon arrival, the 28-year-old signed a $19.8MM-per-year pact. Sneed is under contract through 2027, with $7.5MM in next year’s salary shifting to a full guarantee on March 18. Depending on the severity of this injury, Sneed could find himself being let go before that date given his missed time on his second career team.

In a corresponding move, the Titans have signed linebacker Joe Bachie from the practice squad to the active roster. Bachie has made five appearances so far this season, each of them coming with the Colts. The 27-year-old was recently moved to IR and then released, though, leaving him free to sign with a new team. Shortly after doing so, Bachie will now have the opportunity to make his Tennessee debut.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/21/25

October 21st, 2025 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OL Raiqwon O’Neal
  • Placed on IR: OL Ryan Hayes

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: OL Marques Cox
  • Released: OL Karsen Barnhart

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: DE Seth Coleman
  • Released: CB Keenan Garber

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Signed: DT Fatorma Mulbah

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

WR Tyler Lockett Granted Release By Titans

October 20th, 2025 at 5:51pm CST by Ben Levine

Tyler Lockett‘s stint in Tennessee has unceremoniously come to an end. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the veteran wideout asked for and was granted his release by the Titans today. The move allows Lockett to sign with another team after 4pmET on Wednesday.

After spending 10 seasons in Seattle to begin his career, Lockett was released by the Seahawks this past offseason. He quickly caught on with the Titans via a one-year, $4MM deal. The hope was that the receiver would provide another experienced target for Cam Ward, but the acquisition clearly wasn’t clicking with his new offense.

Through seven games, Lockett has hauled in 10 of his 21 targets for 70 yards. While he’s garnered the third-most snaps among Titans receivers, his role has been trending downwards in recent weeks. This seemed to culminate yesterday, when the 33-year-old was firmly playing as the WR4 despite Calvin Ridley being sidelined with a hamstring injury.

This move should now work out for both sides. The 1-6 Titans will get an opportunity to get a longer look at their younger wideouts, including Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, who hauled in his first-career touchdown during yesterday’s loss. Paul Kuharsky wonders if the Titans may also lean more into two tight end sets, which would presumably consist of Chig Okonkwo and Gunnar Helm.

For Lockett, the veteran will have an opportunity to catch on with a more competitive squad, although he may be hard pressed to find a significant role with a new team. Lockett’s numbers dropped a bit during his final seasons in Seattle, including a 2024 campaign where he finished with 49 receptions for 600 yards and two touchdowns.

This was a far cry from the four-straight 1,000-yard campaigns he put up between 2019 and 2022, and his recent role in Tennessee could indicate that he doesn’t have a whole lot left in the tank. At the very least, the veteran can now ride off into the sunset with a team that’s perhaps destined for the postseason.

Potential Fire Sale In Tennessee?

October 19th, 2025 at 10:11pm CST by Ely Allen

We are just over two weeks away from the NFL’s trade deadline, and as teams look around and assess what needs to be done in order to make the playoffs, phone calls are being made. One team perhaps receiving more calls than the rest of the league is the Titans.

Starting the season with a 1-6 record and less than a week removed from firing ex-head coach Brian Callahan, Tennessee is clearly being counted out by the rest of the league. Despite the lack of elite talent that has put the Titans in this position, there are players that contending NFL teams are interested in. Most notably, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, “seemingly everyone called the Titans to see if star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was available ahead of the…trade deadline.”

Unfortunately for those calling, the answer was a resounding no. Simmons is off limits, and he’s not the only one. The other player who would be a complete non-starter in any trade deal out of Nashville, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, is recent No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. Tennessee drafted Ward with intentions of building their team around him, and they’re not going to give up on him after only seven games. Despite the team’s struggles early and Ward’s lack of production, the 23-year-old quarterback has shown flashes of brilliance and a drive and dedication that has others in the building excited.

As for Simmons, they’ve seen their 2019 first-round pick become one of the top players at his position. He’s currently in the second year of the four-year, $94MM extension that was tacked on to the end of his rookie deal, but many expect that he’s headed for a raise in the coming offseason. Simmons did leave today’s game with a hamstring injury, though, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport, so there’s a chance the calls for him might have slowed depending on the severity of the injury.

Essentially, Ward and Simmons will serve as the offensive and defensive pillars around which the team plans to build around. Aside from those two, though, Russini asserts that “the Titans are open for business on every” other player. At the moment, the most attractive trade targets in Tennessee appear to be on the defensive side of the ball. Cornerback Roger McCreary and outside linebackers Arden Key and Dre’Mont Jones could be players on the move soon, with Rapoport confirming that trio has drawn interest around the league.

A second-round pick in 2022, McCreary is playing in the final year of his rookie deal. McCreary has established himself as one of the league’s stronger nickelbacks, though he’s shown the ability to play on the outside, as well. Expecting that he’ll price himself out of Tennessee in free agency, the Titans would be hoping to get something for him now as opposed to losing him for nothing in the offseason.

Key looked early in his career to be a bit of a bust as a third-rounder out of LSU. Racking up only three sacks in his first three years of play, Key eventually found success in his fourth season and grew in his role more and more until he landed a three-year, $21MM deal with the Titans and became a full-time starter in the second season of that deal last year. Now in the contract’s final year, Key’s services will likely be shopped off with the hopes that he will continue his success with the contender to whom he gets traded.

Jones landed in Tennessee on a one-year, $8.5MM deal. He’s had consistently solid production at previous stops in Denver and Seattle and, so far this season, has been worth his money so far in Nashville. Like McCreary and Key, nothing appears to be awaiting Jones in the offseason but free agency, so the Titans will hope that somebody bites with an offer worth trading him for.

And what exactly would that offer look like? While the Titans have a lot of work to do in building up the roster around pillars Ward and Simmons, it would appear they prefer to do so with young players that they choose. Per Russini, Tennessee isn’t looking for players in exchange for any trade assets; the team wants draft capital. The Titans are hoping to stockpile future draft picks so they can move their rebuild plans forward with youth. We’ll see how well negotiations go over the next 16 days.

Titans’ HC Search Underway; Team To Prioritize Previous HC Experience?

October 19th, 2025 at 9:13am CST by Rory Parks

Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker might have final say over roster decisions, but both he and first-year general manager Mike Borgonzi will run the search for the club’s next head coach in the wake of Brian Callahan’s dismissal. As Albert Breer of SI.com reports, the duo is not waiting to begin the process and is already researching potential candidates.

Breer adds that Tennessee is not hiring a search firm to aid in the hunt. He also says Brinker and Borgonzi intend to be open-minded and will not focus on a particular “type” of coach.

It is unclear whether he simply means the Titans will consider offense- and defense-oriented coaches, or if the club’s open-mindedness will extend to candidates without previous HC experience. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the lack of success with Callahan – who had not risen above the coordinator ranks when he was hired in 2024 – makes it likely Tennessee opts for a candidate with a head coaching gig on their resume (along with “strong leadership qualities”).

Several of the names that already have been floated as potential targets, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, do have recent experience in an HC post. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, who first reported Nagy’s and Smith’s candidacy, subsequently added Mike McCarthy and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to the list, and those coaches have also served as bench bosses in the past (McCarthy with the Packers and Cowboys, Joseph with Denver).

However, both Rapoport and Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) name Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo as a candidate to watch, with Russini also identifying Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver as someone who could interest Tennessee brass. Both men have interviewed for HC positions in recent history, with Anarumo earning a second interview for the Cardinals’ top job in 2023 and Weaver advancing to the second interview stage with the Saints, Falcons, and Commanders over the last two years.

Although neither Anarumo nor Weaver have landed a head coaching job yet, they could be popular interviewees in the upcoming cycle. Whether the Titans are the club to give them their first HC opportunity in light of the disastrous Callahan tenure remains to be seen, but even though Schefter says the club prefers an experienced hand, the ESPN scribe acknowledges Brinker and Borgonzi will cast a wide net in their evaluation process.

As Schefter also points out, Brinker was part of the Packers’ last HC search, which culminated in the Matt LaFleur hire. Titans assistant GM Dave Ziegler, who worked as a personnel advisor with the Saints last year, was part of New Orleans’ hunt for a new head coach after Dennis Allen was fired during the 2024 campaign. The Saints hired Kellen Moore shortly after Ziegler accepted his current job with the Titans.

Load More Posts