Two Titans players that have impressed and surprised new head coach Brian Callahan
NASHVILLE – Every athlete wants to impress their coach. That's how you earn respect and more importantly, earn playing time. With Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan being new to the organization and a first-time head coach in the NFL, every player in a Titans uniform has had the opportunity to make a strong first […]
NASHVILLE – Every athlete wants to impress their coach. That's how you earn respect and more importantly, earn playing time.
With Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan being new to the organization and a first-time head coach in the NFL, every player in a Titans uniform has had the opportunity to make a strong first impression on Callahan.
According to Callahan in a recent interview with The OTP (Official Titans Podcast), he has been pleasantly surprised and impressed by two players in particular.
Throughout offseason OTAs, Callahan has seen his players at work. He has become acquainted with their habits and personalities. He has seen how they lead and the energy they each bring into the locker room. So naturally…Arden Key's larger than life spirit has stood out to the first-year head coach.
"I think that Arden Key has been fantastic. I love everything about how he practices and works. His personality is infectious and he's got some real leadership traits on top of it," said Callahan of the veteran edge rusher. "He's just been really fun to be around and he provides a lot of energy to the team. He never stops. You hear Arden all day long and I enjoy that."
While Key is a talented pass rusher who has recorded 17 sacks over the last three seasons, you could argue that he is even more valuable for what he provides off the field.
The energy in the Titans locker room changed for the better once Arden Key walked into it as a free agent in the 2023 offseason. As Callahan said, Key is infectious. He knows how to make football fun. Even in the dog days of training camp, Key seems to always have his finger on the pulse of the locker room. He is a natural leader that sets the tone every day.
As far as on-field leadership is concerned, third-year linebacker Jack Gibbens is someone who caught the eye of Callahan during OTAs. The once undrafted free agent has improved consistently since signing with Tennessee, and now has a chance in 2024 to take a leadership role in a talented defense.
"Jack Gibbens has really stood out to me. He's hyper-competitive and has really taken on the leadership role on the defense. I didn't know anything really about him. I knew who he was but I didn't know much about him and this process over the spring has been eye-opening to me," said Callahan of Gibbens. "He's got something to him. He's got an edge to him. He's one that I've really enjoyed seeing bloom in a leadership role."
Gibbens was the talk of the town during OTAs this summer. Starting jobs at inside linebacker seem be up for grabs right now. Tennessee is also still trying to figure out who will wear the green dot and be the defensive communicator this season.
Gibbens has downplayed the significance of the green dot in offseason interviews and expressed his motivation to continue proving himself. But perhaps it's that exact hungry spirit that has caught Callahan's eye and positioned Gibbens to take another leap in his career.
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