The Titans called dibs on Brian Daboll as an offensive coordinator.
Tennessee is signing the former New York Giants head coach as their new OC, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday. The Titans have since announced the hiring of Daboll.
The news was first reported by Grammy-nominated musician, and Nashville native, Jelly Roll.
New coach Robert Saleh snagging Daboll is excellent news for No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
Daboll famously helped Josh Allen through the early stages of his development in Buffalo, assisting the future MVP from a scattershot rookie to a dominant force. The work with Allen led Daboll to New York, where he coaxed the most productive season of Daniel Jones' career and got Big Blue to the postseason in his first year on the job.
Things then spiraled for Daboll, as his offense went sideways with inefficiencies at quarterback and the Giants defense collapsed. However, rookie Jaxson Dart showed promise early in his tenure under Daboll, only for the coach to be fired midway through the 2025 season.
Daboll might not have been made for the big chair, but he can coach an offense. In his final two years in Buffalo, the Bills boasted a top-five offense. He's also schemed the run game well, which should help Ward. In 12 seasons as an NFL OC or head coach, the offenses he was part of finished in the top 10 in rushing yards seven times.
Getting an experienced play-caller was essential for the Titans, particularly after the Brian Callahan debacle. Ward showed flashes of a budding star, but inconsistencies led to a rocky first campaign with Callahan, prior to the coach's firing. Daboll is now tasked with smoothing out the terrain and taking Ward to the next level.
The pairing is also ideal for Saleh as he takes his second shot in the head-coaching chair.
Mike LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett led subpar Jets offenses under Saleh. Daboll's experience suggests that it shouldn't be an issue this time around.
Employing an OC who can work mostly independently will allow Saleh to focus on improving a Titans defense that struggled mightily. The Saleh-Daboll setup could take a similar approach to the one Saleh and Kyle Shanahan enjoyed this season in San Francisco, with each taking ownership of his side of the ball.
