Brian Daboll's next head coaching gig presents Titans, Cam Ward with a win-win as fans wonder how long this OC-QB marriage will last
· Yahoo Sports
The Titans hired one of the most popular OC candidates on the market to Robert Saleh's new staff. But I think fans are looking at Brian Daboll's potential quick exit the wrong way.
Some marriages aren't meant to last.
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I've got weddings on the mind because I had the privilege of marrying my sister-in-law and now brother-in-law this past week at a beautiful ceremony in Acadia National Park. That's a bond I'm confident will stand the test of time.
But what about the biggest new marriage for the Titans: potential franchise QB Cam Ward and high-profile OC Brian Daboll?
It's always telling when the first thing on people's minds after a coach is hired is how long they'll get to keep him. Daboll interviewed for a pair of head coach openings this winter before joining Robert Saleh as his new offensive coordinator in Nashville.
It doesn't feel like this marriage is build to last. But if you ask me, the potential that Daboll leaves Tennessee sooner rather than later is a big positive, not a negative.
Brian Daboll's short tenure in Tennessee would be a win
One of the fastest ways to experience fundamental decline as an organization is brain drain. Offensive coordinator has become the most volatile position in the sport in recent years, as basically every opening has turned over in at most a presidential term. The majority have changed hands in just 2-3 years.
Daboll sure seems to be on a similar track to his new boss Robert Saleh. Saleh was fired early in 2024 by the Jets, interviewed briefly as a HC candidate that first offseason, went back to coordinating for a year, and then promptly landed another head coaching gig the next cycle.
It makes sense why many fans expect a similar path for Daboll, and worry about what it could mean for Cam Ward & Co. is it even worth hiring somebody you may lose almost immediately?
But when you actually think about what it would mean for Daboll to move back up in the world within the next year or two, the win-win situation comes into view. Unlike the divorce of actual marriages, this one would only be the result of something pretty great happening to the Titans.
If Daboll gets poached soon, it almost undoubtedly means the Titans are well ahead of schedule. For rational observers, the expectations in 2026 for these Titans is growth. It's a stepping stone season, one in which they need to stamp their ticket back to the adult table in the NFL. Be feisty. Don't be out of the playoff race already by the trade deadline (again).
We just had nearly 1/3 of the league turn over their HC position last year. As volatile as the modern NFL is, simple math dictates we likely see fewer openings this year and next. This means Daboll will have to be amongst the absolute cream of the crop to win another opportunity. And for that to happen, this Titans offense will have to have been a lot better than "feisty".
So if he gets a gig on the back of becoming the man who "unlocked Cam Ward" or "brought offense back to Tennessee", then that's fantastic for the Titans! You cannot complain about being ahead of schedule.
And if he doesn't get a job that quickly, that means (hopefully) he gets to be a part of the first stretch of continuity around here in a while. Ward and the young players on this offense will get to benefit from a sharp OC and consistent system year-over-year for a while. They'll get to build on their progress. And that's good news too.
Either way you slice it, all I care about is that the Titans offensive arrow is pointing up. If you give me that, how quickly Daboll moves on is as much an indicator of success as it is a continuity speed bump.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Brian Daboll's next head coaching gig presents Titans, Cam Ward with a win-win as fans wonder how long this OC-QB marriage will last
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