Recency bias is very real in football circles. So when a head coach is fired Sunday, there’s a good chance his name will come up as a candidate when a different job opens up on Monday.
That’s how fans across the internet talked themselves into James Franklin, head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
The dust hadn’t yet settled on Titans coach Brian Callahan’s ousting before voices across social media chirped in with the name of the most recently available candidate they knew. Callahan will leave the cupboard mostly bare for whomever assumes the reins for his 1-5 team. 2025 first overall draft pick Cam Ward has struggled behind a porous offensive line and a lack of depth at the skill positions. The Tennessee defense ranks 26th in points allowed and 27th in overall efficiency.
Franklin has raised a team from the dead in Nashville before, however. His three-year stint with the Vanderbilt Commodores were the program’s most successful since World War II. While Franklin’s profile of “beat the teams you’re supposed to, crash out against the elite” was enough to convince Penn State to eat around $50 million just to escort him out the door, that’s effectively the mantra of the AFC South champion anyway.
Thus, Franklin may be a viable candidate to guide the Titans to 10 wins and a Divisional Round loss despite his lack of playcalling expertise or pro experience. To hear the folks online call it, he should get a good, long look (but, if we’re being realistic, not really. Clearly lots of these tweets are jokes).
James Franklin future HC of the Tennessee Titans
— Christian “White Noise” Proscia (@NEP_Proscia) October 13, 2025
Would Franklin’s heartfelt energy, recruiting prowess and struggle to make effective in-game changes translate to Sundays? Probably not! And since he’s got nearly $50 million to sit on after his buyout he won’t feel compelled to take a job that isn’t a fit. But hey, it’s a slow Monday. We can dream about 33-17 playoff losses and Franklin staring off into the middle distance for now.
Besides, we all know who the *actual* next head coach of the Tennessee Titans will be.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Fans want James Franklin to make Titans mediocre again
