The Tennessee Titans might be 3-11 this season, but you might want to think twice before you question their effort level.
In a Wednesday press conference, Titans head coach Brian Callahan was asked if he thought part of the reason for the Titans' struggles was because the team was physically and mentally "soft."
The question set the first-year head coach off on a tirade.
"That is complete and total (expletive), if you want my honest opinion," Callahan said. "These guys are tough (expletive), man, and they go after it every day. They play hard as hell, and at no point have we put on tape at any point this season that this is a soft football team. I can't even wrap my mind around how that would even be a conversation. I mean, just because we don't win games doesn't mean we're soft."
Tennessee is allowing the fourth-most points per game and has a bottom-five offence, but Callahan believes that anyone calling his team "soft" hasn't been watching the games.
"There's no possible explanation to say that this team is soft in any way, shape or form, mentally or physically," Callahan continued. "And the way that they go about their work, it's insulting to me, to them, to everyone that works here. No chance ever in hell would I ever admit that to be the case, and neither would anybody in this locker room. So you can kind of shove that one right up your ass, to be honest."
It's not the only thing Callahan made news for on Wednesday, as he also told reporters that second-year QB Will Levis would stay on the bench and Mason Rudolph would get the start on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.
”I felt like it was the best thing for our team for these last few weeks to see what Mason can bring offensively,” Callahan said.
Callahan was hired specifically for his offensive skills and experience with quarterbacks ranging from Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning to Joe Burrow. Levis has 17 of the Titans' league-worst 29 turnovers despite missing three games and much of a fourth after spraining his right, throwing shoulder.
The offence may not have clicked this season like many Titans fans were hoping for, but at least they now know their new head coach will always have his team's back.
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