Late in a tough 2025 campaign, with the Titans once again buried near the bottom of the standings, interim head coach Mike McCoy made a crucial pivot. With rookie quarterback Cam Ward trying to find his footing, McCoy leaned into the ground game-not just to spark the offense, but to take pressure off his young signal-caller. And it worked.
That shift started to show signs of life in a late-season matchup against Cleveland, where Tennessee racked up a season-high 184 rushing yards. From there, the Titans posted four 100-yard rushing games in their final five outings, including two wins.
For context, they’d only cracked the century mark twice in the first 12 games. It wasn’t a total transformation, but it was a clear identity shift-one that gave Ward some breathing room and allowed him to close out his rookie year with a few of his best performances.
Now, with Robert Saleh taking over as head coach and Brian Daboll stepping in as offensive coordinator, that commitment to the run game seems likely to stick. Both coaches have shown a willingness to build around the ground game in the past, and given Tennessee’s current roster and the development curve of their young quarterback, it makes sense. Expect some new wrinkles, but don’t expect the Titans to suddenly air it out 40 times a game.
The big question heading into the offseason: who’s going to carry the load?
Tony Pollard is still under contract and coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He finished strong in 2025, and while he’s set to count $9.25 million against the cap, Tennessee has plenty of financial flexibility-roughly $100 million in cap space. That makes it far more logical to keep Pollard in the fold and find him a complementary back than to hit the reset button entirely.
But the Titans do need to start planning for the future at the position. Pollard, at this point in his career, might be better suited as part of a one-two punch rather than a true bell-cow. Tyjae Spears, entering the final year of his deal, brings some juice as a change-of-pace back-particularly as a pass-catcher and outside runner-but he’s probably not the guy to handle 20-plus touches a game.
Behind them, there’s Julius Chestnut, a special teams staple, and second-year back Kalel Mullings, who missed time due to injury but flashed some short-yardage potential late in the year. Neither projects as a featured back, but both could carve out roles depending on how the rest of the depth chart shakes out.
Free agency offers a few intriguing options, especially for a team looking to add without breaking the bank. One name to watch: Breece Hall, who played under Saleh with the Jets and could be a natural scheme fit. There’s also Carolina’s Rico Dowdle and Kenneth Walker, fresh off a Super Bowl MVP performance and a Memphis native-something that could resonate with the fanbase and locker room alike.
Then there’s the draft. If the Titans want to swing big, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love is a name that’s already generating buzz.
He’s widely considered one of the top backs in this year’s class and would give Tennessee a dynamic playmaker to build around. The challenge?
The Titans hold the fourth overall pick, and with glaring needs at edge rusher, receiver, and cornerback, spending that premium draft capital on a running back would be a bold move.
Still, if the front office views Love as a true difference-maker-and if they can find a trade partner to move down a few spots while still landing him-it could be a savvy way to address multiple needs at once.
One thing is clear: the run game will be central to whatever Saleh and Daboll are building in Tennessee. Whether it’s sticking with Pollard, adding through free agency, or making a splash in the draft, the Titans need production from the backfield. Not just to support Cam Ward, but to establish an identity-something this franchise has been searching for since Derrick Henry’s prime.
The rebuild is on. And it’s going to start in the trenches, with the guys who can move the chains and take the weight off a young quarterback’s shoulders.