Titans GM Mike Borgonzi: We were looking for growth, didn't see any with Brian Callahan
The Titans made major changes at the top of their organization this offseason when they gave president of football operations Chad Brinker more control over the team and hired General Manager Mike Borgonzi, but they opted to hold onto head coach Brian Callahan after he went 3-14 during his first season on the job.
Brinker and Borgonzi might like a mulligan on that decision because they fired Callahan on Monday. Sunday's lifeless loss to the Raiders made Callahan's career record 4-19 and Borgonzi said at a press conference that the lack of progress was the reason why the Titans decided to pull the trigger now.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Brian, as a person, and as a coach in this league," Borgonzi said, via the team's website. "We are looking for growth right now, and we did not see that at this point. But he's an excellent coach, person, and I wish him the best moving forward."
The timing of the change makes Cam Ward the fourth straight quarterback picked first overall to see his first NFL coach fired during their rookie season. Even if firing Callahan is understandable given his record, it's a less than ideal way to break in a young quarterback. Picking the right choice for 2026 will be crucial for Ward and the Titans, but Brinker said the team isn't writing off the rest of the season with interim head coach Mike McCoy as a lost cause.
"Mike and I will lead that search," Brinker said. "But what our focus is right now is pouring everything we can into Mike McCoy and giving him every opportunity from here on out, starting this week. We have the Patriots coming to town, and we want to do everything we can to support him the way he needs to be supported so we can go out there and win a football game. So that's really what our focus is right now."
The Patriots are coached by Mike Vrabel, who held the same job with the Titans before being fired after the 2023 season. That wasn't that long ago, but his return will offer a reminder of how quickly and how far the Titans have fallen from the best days of his tenure.
From SoFi Stadium to Camden Yards: How the Rams are preparing for London
Rams coach Sean McVay congratulates Tutu Atwell after the wide receiver scored on an 88-yard touchdown reception against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 28. Atwell is expected to be back in the lineup when the Rams face the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles, is located a short walk from M&T Bank Stadium, where the Rams began an extended road trip on Sunday with a 17-3 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
For much of this week, the baseball stadium will serve as the Rams’ home away from home as they prepare for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London.
This is not the first time that the Rams have played an away game and then remained in the city before traveling abroad.
In 2017, coach Sean McVay’s first season, the Rams defeated the Jaguars in Jacksonville, Fla., and then stayed in town before traveling to defeat the Arizona Cardinals at Twickenham Stadium in London.
Two years later, the Rams beat the Falcons in Atlanta, and then remained there for a few days before traveling to London and defeating the Cincinnati Bengals at Wembley Stadium.
Several players said they would rely on the Rams' training staff to help them modify weekly routines that include massage, acupuncture and other bodywork sessions with California providers outside of the organization.
Rams safety Quentin Lake noted that last season, the Rams stayed in Arizona for a few days before they played the Minnesota Vikings in an NFC wild-card game that was moved from SoFi Stadium because of wildfires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
“You’re in an unfamiliar environment and ... it’s just the team and staff,” Lake said Sunday, adding, “Nothing truly is going to change in terms of our routine. ... Honestly I love it because it’s fun.
“It’s fun for us to be in a different environment and really just lock in on football and focus on the task at hand.”
Last week, McVay and several players said that while adjustments were necessary for a long trip, none were too onerous.
The Rams are practicing this week at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore before heading to London. (Terrance Williams / Associated Press)
During the Rams' first two trips abroad, McVay was neither married nor a father. This time, McVay said that his wife, Veronika, who has roots in the region, and son, Jordan, would make the trip to Baltimore.
“I'll keep it as normal as possible,” McVay said. “What I like about these things is you get a chance to be around the guys a little bit more because of the nature of what this trip entails. ... I try to keep a normal rhythm and routine.
“You just might be in a different location, but we have the film, we have the field and most importantly, we have the players. We'll be in good shape.”
For quarterback Matthew Stafford “the biggest thing is not being in your own house, not having your family around, all that kind of stuff,” he said.
“I won't be sleeping in my own bed and I won't be doing some of the things that I'm accustomed to doing,” he said. “I just change location, really. What I would do maybe at home I'll do wherever our setup is when we stay there.”
Receiver Davante Adams, a 12th-year pro in his first season with the Rams, said that he once was part of an extended trip that included a game in New Orleans and then a stay in Sarasota, Fla., before playing in Jacksonville. But this will be the first time Adams will be on an extended trip that includes a game in London.
It will be different, Adams said, because he has “a lot of different checkpoints and things throughout the week that I do locally. It’s going to be different for me for sure.”
Especially being away from family.
“The main thing for me is just being away from my kids, honestly more than anything,” he said. “That's a big part of my healing process and mentally throughout the week just resetting, going home, spending time with them and my wife. Not having that element. ... I mean, we'll get through it.”
This will be the first extended trip that will end in London for defensive lineman Kobie Turner and other young players. Turner said he and his wife grew up about an hour outside Baltimore, so they were looking forward to spending time this week with his wife’s family.
“It will be interesting to see how it all plays out,” he said.
Bears celebrate Jake Moody's "big moment" on Monday night
Jake Moody's Bears debut was a memorable one.
The Bears summoned the kicker from the practice squad on Monday because Cairo Santos was going to miss their game in Washington with a thigh injury and they called on him to try five field goals over the course of the night. Moody had one of those kicks blocked early in the fourth quarter, which led many to recall the struggles that got him released by the 49ers after the first week of the season, but he got a chance at redemption.
A fumble recovery with 3:07 left to play gave the Bears the ball near midfield and they drove to the Washington 20-yard line to set up Moody's game-winning field goal at the whistle. Teammates who haven't spent much time with Moody carried him off the field and many referenced his rocky time with the 49ers while talking about the significance of his Bears debut.
"Being able to hear about his story when he got here, being able to see him work and being able to see him have this moment — I know he's been in some tough moments," quarterback Caleb Williams said, via the team's website. "So having this moment for him I know is important. It's important for us. It's a big moment for him to be able to go out there and come through. Kudos to him and we love him for that."
Moody said it felt "amazing" to come through for his new team and that he "can't wait to formally meet everybody else at some point." Santos' health will likely determine if he gets another chance in Week 7, but coming through in the clutch should help his chances of getting another shot at a long-term job when the kicking carousel spins around the league.
