Disconcerting crunching sounds as you walk up hills. Unpredictable swelling that makes it uncomfortable to move. Chronic pains that leave you laid up and reliant on ice packs and pain medications. Knee pain is, without a doubt, one of the most common and painful conditions an adult can go through. It can affect every aspect of your daily life, from picking up the kids from soccer practice to staying on a regular workout routine so you can remain healthy and active.
If you're suffering from knee pain, you're not alone - the American Academy of Family Physicians tells us that almost 25% of all adults in the U.S. suffer from some type of knee pain. In fact, diagnosed knee pain has risen almost 65% over the last couple of decades, adding up to nearly four million visits to primary care doctors annually. That's a lot of chronic knee pain that needs to be addressed.
Unfortunately, many doctors recommend prescription pain pills and invasive surgeries as knee pain treatments instead of non-invasive alternatives. But if you're looking for a way to avoid the need for a knee replacement and pain pills, there's good news to share. QC Kinetix's regenerative medicine in Nashville, TN, is an all-natural, effective way to help heal prevalent issues like knee arthritis and knee pain without painful surgeries or long recovery times.
Whether you have been fighting through osteoarthritis for years or you've only recently suffered a knee injury, you're probably wondering how regenerative medicine for knee pain works. Regenerative medicine is a revolutionary field of medical science that taps into the body's innate ability to heal and renew itself.
Its main objective is to restore the function and structure of damaged or diseased tissues and organs by either boosting the body's own repair mechanisms or creating new healthy cells to replace the sick ones. For instance, in regenerative ophthalmology, doctors are using retinal progenitor cells to replace damaged retinal cells and combat some causes of blindness.
Regenerative medicine aims to provide a viable alternative to conventional treatments that often involve invasive procedures or long-term medication use. These treatments can cause significant pain and harm to the patient, leading to complications, excessive scarring, and drug dependency. In contrast, regenerative medicine seeks to treat degenerative diseases, injuries, and age-related deterioration by activating the body's natural healing processes and prioritizing the body's inherent capabilities.
Regenerative medicine for knee pain can provide a long list of benefits for men and women who deal with daily pain and discomfort. Some of the symptoms that knee pain can help reduce may include the following:
The benefits of regenerative medicine have been proven through numerous scientific studies and clinical trials. Patients who have undergone regenerative therapies like PRP and stem cell treatment have reported substantial relief from chronic pain, according to a study published in The Journal of Pain Research.
Today, regenerative medicine treatments are being pursued by prestigious institutions like Harvard and the Mayo Clinic. In fact, the National Institute of Health recognizes the field of regenerative medicine as holding great promise for treating and even curing various injuries and diseases.
Regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, maintain strict oversight of regenerative therapies to ensure they adhere to high safety and efficacy standards. Additionally, professional organizations such as the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) promote ethical practices and ongoing advancements in the field of regenerative medicine.
The benefits of regenerative therapies for issues like knee pain are both promising and exciting, and can alleviate symptoms without:
The knee joint is made up of bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Bursae, which are small sacs filled with fluid, help cushion the moving parts of the knee and prevent friction. Knee pain can occur due to various reasons like injury, aging, repeated stress, wear and tear on the joint, or inflammation of the bursa. Knee bursitis is a common condition that causes inflammation of the bursae and leads people to seek knee pain treatments.
Sports activities are a common cause of knee injury as they exert tremendous force on the knee joint. Although the knee can usually handle this stress, it can also cause painful injuries. Some athletes may need knee surgery to repair the damage, while others may delay surgery for years until arthritis develops due to the injury and becomes unbearable. The same goes for average men and women whose minor sprains eventually lead to osteoarthritis and other issues. Fortunately for both parties, regenerative medicine in Nashville, TN represents a more cost-effective, non-surgical solution for knee pain.
Because of the knee joint's complexity, it is susceptible to a wide range of injuries. Some of the most common knee injuries include the following:
Degeneration and inflammation can impact the knees with chronic and debilitating pain, as seen in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Surgery may be used in severe cases, but for many, finding ways to manage the pain is the only option. However, there is hope in regenerative knee pain therapy, which can provide authentic pain relief, enhance mobility, and lead to a more active lifestyle. Contact QC Kinetix today to learn more about our revolutionary regenerative medicines for knee pain.
Severe pain in the knee may result from the patella ( the kneecap), the connecting thigh bone, or one of the shin bones being fractured. Such fractures are usually caused by abrupt, high-energy impacts like falls from high altitudes or car accidents. The usual treatment for these injuries is to physically reset the broken bone. In some cases, plasma-rich growth factors can be used to help speed up the healing process associated with fractures.
Excessive strain on the knee tendons through activities such as running, jumping, or cycling can result in the tendons becoming inflamed (tendonitis). While rest, ice, knee brace compression, and elevation are commonly used to treat tendonitis, there are other non-surgical and proactive options available for knee pain treatment in Nashville, TN.
When the bones in the knee shift out of place due to a traumatic fall, twisting of the knee, or high-impact collisions, it causes an injury called dislocation. It is essential to put the dislocated knee back into place, and in severe cases, surgery may be necessary.
Injuries to the knee can result in the tearing of the cartilage or meniscus, which serves as a cushioning pad and shock absorber. Although conventional treatment options are restricted to wearing braces or undergoing surgery, regenerative knee pain therapy can be a promising solution for this type of injury.
When the ligaments or tendons in the knee are overstretched or torn, it can result in a knee sprain or strain. This kind of injury is usually caused by sudden twists and can be quite painful. It often results in swelling and makes it difficult to walk. To help alleviate the pain, it's recommended to apply ice, elevate the knee, and rest. Another option for treatment is regenerative knee pain therapy.
Our non-surgical knee pain treatments can resolve your pain and restore your mobility, so it's worth exploring your options with us. During your Request Appointment, we will assess your current condition and needs with the utmost care and consideration. We understand the impact of pain, and we don't want to prolong your discomfort with ineffective treatments.
If we determine that surgery is the best option for you, we will advise you accordingly to avoid any delays in your recovery. However, if we believe that our regenerative knee pain therapy is a good fit for your needs, we will discuss your options with you in detail.
If you're under the impression that a total knee replacement is the only answer to your knee pain problems, think carefully about these potential downfalls first:
When people experience chronic knee pain, they often turn to knee replacement surgery as a solution. However, there are cases where the surgery can actually exacerbate the pain. Research has revealed that a substantial number of patients experience mild pain after the procedure, while others suffer from pain that is either equal to or more intense than their previous chronic knee pain. In some cases, patients have reported that their pain worsens even years after having undergone knee replacement surgery.
Reports suggest that those who are above 60 years old are at a greater risk of experiencing a heart attack after undergoing surgery. But why? The truth is that the stress and trauma that come with knee replacement surgery can be quite intense, which leads to an increased possibility of heart attacks. If you have heart disease, have had a heart attack, have a history of heart disease in your family, or are over the age of 60, it might be time to consider regenerative medicine.
After undergoing knee replacement surgery, there is a risk of wear particles causing harm to your body. These particles are small fragments of plastic, metal, or ceramic that break off from the replaced joint and can cause irritation to the surrounding tissue. In some cases, wear particles can even enter your bloodstream and lead to metal toxicity or the formation of pseudotumors at a genetic level.
Maintaining strong and healthy knees is essential for everyday activities such as walking, running, standing, or even just getting up from a seated position. Unfortunately, knee pain can significantly impact one's quality of life, making it difficult to perform simple tasks like bathing or dressing oneself.
Furthermore, it can prevent people from participating in enjoyable activities like hiking, biking, or gardening. It can even keep them from getting a good night's rest. Although knee surgery is a painful and extensive process, regenerative knee pain therapies can often provide relief without the need for surgery. These non-surgical treatments are accessible to individuals of all ages and backgrounds who are seeking relief from knee pain.
At QC Kinetix, we offer patients several regenerative medicine options to help treat and ultimately eliminate knee pain symptoms. Some of the most popular therapies our patients choose to help with knee pain like osteoarthritis include the following:
You can think of plasma therapy as preparation for the other regenerative treatments we use to treat knee pain. As part of a non-surgical regeneration plan, plasma contains incredible growth healing factors that can help decrease inflammation in your knees and across your body. Once inflammation goes down, your pain is reduced, and you become more receptive to additional forms of regenerative medicine in Nashville, TN.
Research indicates that A2M has the ability to alleviate knee pain by disabling particular enzymes that have the potential to deteriorate cartilage cells. When the cells in the cartilage of the knee begin to break down, the bones that combine to form the knee joint are subjected to greater friction during movement, leading to the inflammation of tissues and irritation of nerves.
BMAC is a concentration of regenerative cells obtained from the soft, spongy tissue found in the center of bones, called your marrow. Marrow is often found in areas such as the hips or pelvic bone. These specialized cells can replicate themselves into various types of tissues and promote tissue growth, boosting the body's natural healing abilities to speed up the healing process. By allowing your treatment area to heal naturally and more rapidly, you can find relief from knee pain quickly and more effectively.
In order for the body to heal an injury, it requires blood flow to provide the necessary cells and nutrients. Unfortunately, certain areas within the body have limited blood flow, making it more challenging to heal when injured. This is particularly true when it comes to the meniscus and cartilage in your knees, which have poor blood flow. So, how can you enhance the healing potential of tissues with inadequate blood flow? One option is to utilize PRP, which involves injecting concentrated platelets that contain high volumes of growth factors and proteins. This signals and drives the body's natural healing responses. When used as part of a personalized non-surgical regeneration plan by QC Kinetix, PRP therapy is often an MVP in regenerative medicine treatments.
Many of the physicians and regenerative health providers at QC Kinetix have a background in sports medicine, where they worked with professional athletes to mend broken bones and repair torn ligaments and tendons. It can be incredibly fulfilling to help these individuals recover, but unfortunately, many people - not just athletes - are eager to return to their activities before they have fully healed from surgery. This can be problematic because surgery can often cause more harm than good, leading to a long and painful recovery period.
Regenerative medicine for knee pain takes a different approach by tapping into your body's own healing and repair abilities to address knee pain and damage. During your free consultation, we will assess your current condition and needs and recommend the best course of recovery for your unique body. We prioritize effective treatments and minimizing pain, so if surgery is the best option, we will let you know upfront. However, if our regenerative knee pain therapy is a good match for your needs, we will explain your options in detail, so you can get relief as soon as possible.
If you're sick and tired of your knees holding you back on a daily basis, it's time to reduce your pain and reclaim your mobility. Contact QC Kinetix today to take the first step toward reclaiming your life.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Country music artist and Murfreesboro native Chris Young was arrested at a Nashville bar Monday evening after he allegedly assaulted a Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) agent.According to court documents, Young, 38, was at a bar on Demonbreun Street around 8:30 p.m. when TABC agents walked in to complete a compliance check. Young reportedly held his ID over his head and a TABC agent checked it with the agenc...
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Country music artist and Murfreesboro native Chris Young was arrested at a Nashville bar Monday evening after he allegedly assaulted a Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) agent.
According to court documents, Young, 38, was at a bar on Demonbreun Street around 8:30 p.m. when TABC agents walked in to complete a compliance check. Young reportedly held his ID over his head and a TABC agent checked it with the agency’s ID app.
The agent gave Young back his ID and returned to the other agents to continue checking the staff’s ABC license cards.
Young began questioning the agents, who answered his questions, and then started recording them on video, per an affidavit. The agents reportedly left that bar and walked down Demonbreun to another one to serve more compliance checks.
Once TABC agents checked the staff’s cards, they began to walk toward the door when Young “put his hands out to stop me from leaving the bar and stuck [sic] me on the shoulder,” according to the TABC agent.
The agent pushed Young “to create distance” and then bar customers got between the agent and Young and began “yelling and screaming,” an affidavit says. Another agent tried to talk to Young, who allegedly began walking backward and not complying with the agents orders.
According to arrest documents, two agents had to physically detain Young and placed him in handcuffs. As agents tried to leave the bar with Young, multiple people who were with Young reportedly started following them and “making the incident hostile.”
Agents noted Young’s eyes were bloodshot and watery and he had slurred speech.
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Young was booked into the Metro jail and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and assault of an officer, officials said. He was released early Tuesday morning.
News 2 has reached out to the TABC and Young’s publicist for comment. The TABC said it has no comment. Young’s publicist has yet to respond.
With both the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers choosing new head coaches this week in former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and former ...
With both the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers choosing new head coaches this week in former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales, it is looking increasingly possible that former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel -- who seemed like he was going to be one of the top candidates on the market -- could end this cycle without getting a head-coaching job.
It's a bit of a surprise, but also not quite unprecedented. New England Patriots legend Bill Belichick seems like he could be in the same situation. So just as we did with Belichick, we're going to lay out the remaining options for Vrabel next season.
These are the only two remaining head-coaching openings. If Vrabel is going to be a head coach next year, it has to be in one of these two jobs. The only issue with that is neither the Seahawks nor Commanders has actually interviewed Vrabel for the position. The only two teams that did -- the Falcons and Panthers -- have already hired other candidates. So, unless one of these two teams is going to circle back around to Vrabel after already giving second interviews to some candidates, it's not happening for him this year.
Prior to landing in Tennessee, Vrabel spent two years as the linebackers coach and then one year as the defensive coordinator of the Houston Texans. He has mostly had named defensive coordinators who called the plays during his time in Tennessee, though, so it's been six years since he was consistently calling defensive plays. Still, if he doesn't end up in Seattle or Washington, teams could come calling.
There are several defensive coordinator jobs that are vacant right now, including those of the Packers, Giants, Rams and Dolphins. Vrabel has not interviewed for any of those jobs yet, and might not be interested in being a coordinator again, but those jobs are available.
Teams with new head coaches like the Chargers, Panthers, Titans (not happening, obviously), Seahawks and Commanders could potentially hire new defensive coordinators, and the jobs in Buffalo (under head coach Sean McDermott), Atlanta (under new head coach Morris), Las Vegas (under Antonio Pierce) and New England (under new head coach Jerod Mayo) either are or could technically be open as well. And if Mike Macdonald and/or Dan Quinn get one of the open head-coaching jobs, the Ravens and/or Cowboys could have open slots.
Obviously the Patriots seem like the most logical landing spot among those groups, but we don't know if Vrabel would be interested or willing to work under Mayo, nor whether Mayo would want to bring him in. They were only teammates in New England for one season (Mayo's rookie year) and never worked on the same staff together.
We've seen head coaches who are not interested in taking a step backward and being coordinators do this before. A lot of times it's by choice, as they want to take a year to regroup and figure out what they do and don't do well and where they need to improve. It seems like Vrabel wanted to be a head coach this coming season, but it might not be in the cards. Going away for a year and hitting the interview circuit to sell yourself has been a strong move for certain coaches in the past, and Vrabel could benefit from doing something similar and then trying to get one of the open jobs next offseason.
ReactionsLike68NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- New Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan said he intends to call the plays on offense this season.Callahan is entering his 14th season of coaching in the NFL, including the past five seasons as the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator. But Callahan didn't call ...
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- New Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan said he intends to call the plays on offense this season.
Callahan is entering his 14th season of coaching in the NFL, including the past five seasons as the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator. But Callahan didn't call the plays in Cincinnati.
He'll follow the same path as Zac Taylor, who called the plays as the Bengals' coach.
"The way we've worked in Cincinnati, very collaborative," Callahan said during his introductory news conference Thursday. "I've been with Zac for five years working with him as a primary playcaller and me as the offensive coordinator. I feel really great about the process."
Taylor credited Callahan for playing a significant role in developing the game plan.
"He coordinates everything having to do with it," Taylor said. "On game day, he and I are in constant communication. That is calling plays. That is establishing an offense."
Callahan expressed a desire to foster an environment for the Titans that is similar to what he experienced in Cincinnati. He plans to have a staff in place that will help with putting together the game plan and making midgame adjustments.
The Titans haven't hired an offensive coordinator and have yet to submit requests to speak with any Bengals assistants. Two viable candidates include wide receivers coach Troy Walters and assistant QB coach Brad Kragthorpe.
Callahan said he has already sat down with quarterback Will Levis despite taking the job only a few days ago.
"He was working out today, so I got a chance to catch up with him," Callahan said. "I can't wait to get to work with him. He's got a lot of really special physical talents that I'm excited to go see if we can make better."
The experience that Callahan has working with quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow will be something he leans on as he turns his attention to Levis.
A new era of Tennessee Titans football began Thursday, as the franchise introduced Brian Callahan as their new head coach. Callahan served as the offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals for the past five seasons. He has been to multiple Super Bowls as an assistant during the course of his coaching career, and helped coach som...
A new era of Tennessee Titans football began Thursday, as the franchise introduced Brian Callahan as their new head coach. Callahan served as the offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals for the past five seasons. He has been to multiple Super Bowls as an assistant during the course of his coaching career, and helped coach some of the best quarterbacks in the league, including Joe Burrow, Peyton Manning and Matthew Stafford.
This is an offseason of change for the Titans. Tennessee has a prospective franchise quarterback in Will Levis, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the second-most cap space in the NFL and a new power structure, which included a promotion for general manager Ran Carthon.
At 39 years old, Callahan is the sixth-youngest head coach in the NFL. Tennessee is hoping for a collaborative effort that will help escort this franchise where it wants to go. Carthon told reporters that "hunting at the same time isn't the same as hunting together. And under Brian Callahan, we will be going out and hunting together."
Here are a few key takeaways from Callahan's introductory press conference as the new head coach of the Tennessee Titans:
True mutual interest: To hold an NFL head coaching position is one of the best gigs in sports, whether that be in Tennessee, Carolina, Atlanta or Las Vegas. However, during this process, the Titans made a big-time impact on Callahan, who said he felt an "unbelievable connection to the people in the room" from their first meeting to their last, and that he had an "instant connection" with Carthon.
"Just the connection from the get-go was incredible, and I knew that it was going to be a place that I wanted to call home. It felt like that from the very beginning. I'm thankful that they felt the same way. I was about to make an impassioned plea to Ran as our meeting was concluding on Monday evening, and it turns out I didn't have to do that. They wanted me about exactly the same way that I wanted them. Everything felt right. The relationships felt right, the energy felt right...
"If you guys could feel the way I felt, after that first Zoom meeting I was about to call Ran and be like, 'Alright man, let's get it done! I don't care what anybody -- you can talk to whoever you want to, but I want it done now.' And that's how I felt. It was very important to me that this was the place I wanted to be, and again, I'm very thankful that they felt the same way."
His work with Peyton Manning: "I've been incredibly fortunate to be around great players, and those guys all bring something different and unique. When you talk about Peyton Manning and his incredible ability to prepare, the attention to detail that he brought every single day. The intensity that he went about his job. Those years I was with him showed me what a great quarterback should look like. And not everybody is going to be him, nor is anyone expected to be. But the foundation of how he went about his business was pretty incredible, and I've taken that everywhere I've gone."
His work with Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow: "Matthew's a great player in his own right, and I learned that Matthew is very different from Peyton, but they were also great players, and you let those players be themselves. And I didn't try to make Matthew do anything that he didn't want to do. He's not Peyton Manning. Their personalities are different, but they're both great players. And what I learned, Matthew was an incredibly tough player. I've never seen a locker room rally around a player like him the way that they did when I was with him in Detroit. He's one of the toughest competitors I've ever been around. And so you see these traits everywhere you go and you start to realize what it takes for quarterbacks to be successful.
"Joe Burrow, been around a different version of Joe. I got Joe as a young player. A lot of these guys were veteran players when I was around them. And Joe's a remarkable, remarkable player. He's got a great feel for the game, and so to have an environment as a young player where he was growing and having conversations about what he liked and didn't like really helped me learn how to be flexible with the approach for those players and put them in position to do well. As far as how they go about their daily routine, what they like conceptually and schematically, those conversations in the quarterback room are able to help foster hopefully a lot of success."
What is your coaching style?: "My coaching style is consistent. My demeanor is pretty consistent. I pride myself on being a great teacher. That's first and foremost. As a coach, that's all you really care about is how well can you teach and articulate to the players what they need to do. I have plenty of intensity. I'm a pretty laid-back demeanor most of the time as you guys will see, but when it's time to make corrections and bring the energy as necessary, I can do that. But my coaching style is a teaching coaching style."
Blocking and protecting the quarterback: The Titans offensive line was one of the worst in the NFL last season, and Callahan worked with struggling offensive lines before in Cincinnati. He was asked about this topic Thursday.
"There's a lot of things that go into protection. Some of it starts with as simple as, you gotta go win. You gotta win vs. tight coverage. Protection is an everybody problem. The quarterback has got to get rid of the ball on time, they have to work through progressions quickly. So to say specifically the offensive line needs to fix the protection problem, I don't agree with that. I think it's a wholistic offensive issue if you have protection problems and there's a lot of ways you can help weaknesses, highlight strengths and everybody is involved with the process."
Will you be the offensive play-caller? And how big of a transition will that be for you?: "Yes I will. Not a big one at all. The way we worked in Cincinnati, very collaborative. I've been with Zac (Taylor) for five years working with him as the primary play caller and me as the offensive coordinator. I feel really great about the process. Part of that is bringing in great people to help me. And that's a huge part of our next couple weeks is finding those people, because when you have an offensive staff that you trust and guys do a great job with their areas of expertise, our third down, our red zone. By the time you get to Sunday, the game plan is mainly set. Now where guys earn their stripes is when you have to adjust and adapt mid-flow of a game. And that's where you have to have great people involved in the game plan. But I don't see it as a big adjustment. It's going to be a collaborative approach on offense."
His father, Bill: Callahan is the son of Bill Callahan, a former NFL head coach and current offensive line coach with the Cleveland Browns. With his son being hired as a lead man, many speculated he could join Brian in Nashville.
"He's under contract. There's nothing I can say to that either way."
How much was having Will Levis here attractive for you?: "That part is attractive. I thought that Will was a really good player coming out of college, and I thought when you watched him play this year you saw growth. You saw him learn. The NFL is hard. It's hard on quarterbacks, it's particularly hard on young ones. I saw a lot of really positive things, some of the throws, some of his competitive instincts that he put on tape were really impressive. So I'm excited to dive more into that and how can he get better from Year 1 to Year 2 and keep putting him in position to find success so we can score some points on offense."
What he learned from his experiences in Cincinnati. What it takes to turn things around: "A lot of adversity in those early years. We didn't quite have the roster to compete with some of the teams we were playing against, but we saw in those dark days the core of what our team was going to be. There's a lot of players there in that first and second season that are still there now and that were there for sort of the 'glory' of it. I learned that when that adversity strikes, consistency. Zac was an incredibly consistent leader. We just kept hammering the message, and we believed in what was happening even though the wins weren't taking place. There wasn't the tangible evidence that, 'This is what's happening,' but we felt it. We saw it in the locker room. We knew at some point as we kept building our roster that we were going to be a really good football team. Our players believed it, our coaches believed it and those are good lessons to be through some of those lean years. I mean 0-11 was not a fun place to be. But we learned a lot from it and really the foundation of what our team became two years later was a lot of guys that had went through that process. So you learn a lot about people when things are tough, we learned a lot about the guys on that football team and there was a lot of them that were incredibly high character, loved playing football and they helped us get out of those times as well. You learn the most when things aren't going very well. Everyone can be positive when you're winning a bunch of football games. Those were intense learning experiences for me."
After closing the book on the Mike Vrabel era by surprisingly firing the coach earlier in January, the Titans have hired his replacement.Now that the process is complete, Tennessee's goal is clear: Pair quarterback ...
After closing the book on the Mike Vrabel era by surprisingly firing the coach earlier in January, the Titans have hired his replacement.
Now that the process is complete, Tennessee's goal is clear: Pair quarterback Will Levis with a coach who can lead him to success. Brian Callahan arrives as the man with proof he's capable of doing just that.
"I really enjoyed getting to know him and I can't wait to get to work with him," Callahan said of Levis during the coach's introductory news conference Thursday. "He's got a lot of really special, physical talents that I'm excited to see what we can make better. Everything about him so far has been fantastic and I'm excited to get further down into it."
Callahan earned the job in part because of the work he accomplished with Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. Callahan spent the last five years serving as offensive coordinator under Zac Taylor, directing Burrow through the first four years of a career that has seen the quarterback earn AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year in Cincinnati's AFC title-winning 2021 season, and garner NFL MVP votes in 2022.
Taylor calls the plays in Cincinnati, but Callahan played an important role in developing and implementing the Bengals' scheme. Now, the Titans hope he can replicate that success with Levis and an offense in need of reinforcements. Fittingly, Callahan said Thursday he will call plays for the offense in 2024, taking a hands-on approach in his first head-coaching gig.
"Not a big one at all," Callahan said when asked if the transition from OC in Cincinnati to head coach in Tennessee would be significant. "The way we worked in Cincinnati it was very collaborative. I've been with Zac for five years working with him as the primary play-caller and me as the offensive coordinator. I feel really great about the process."
After going 6-11 in 2023, Tennessee decided it was time for a fresh start, intentionally departing from a defensive-minded coach (Vrabel) in favor of one with an offensive background. The hope is such a shift can improve Tennessee's lackluster offense, which finished 18th in total yards per game and 17th in points per game.
If the Titans intend to build around Levis, now was also the time to pair him with a coach who can help him develop. There's no guarantee Levis will become a franchise quarterback, but he showed enough flashes of potential to make Tennessee feel better about its outlook entering 2024 than it likely would have if Ryan Tannehill remained the only option.
Still, this turnaround will be about more than just coach and quarterback. Tennessee signed DeAndre Hopkins in 2023 with the hopes he'd be able to provide some much-needed help in the passing game, and while he broke 1,000 receiving yards in 17 games, it became painfully obvious he wouldn't be able to patch every crack on his own.
He's still on the roster entering 2024, but the Titans need more help. It will be up to Callahan and general manager Ran Carthon to improve this roster enough to fit the coach's vision and allow him to start on the right foot.
"I think the biggest thing that we want to do is to start is put the players we have in a great position," Callahan said about improving the roster. "Let them be able to find their roles and define what those roles are for them and put them in the matchups that we feel that are to advantage. That's a very broad and general offensive philosophy, but that's sort of the starting point.
"We want to be great detailed in the passing game. Route definition, route spacing and complete balls at a high percentage. That's always going to be the goal. The run game, we still want to be physical – don't get that part twisted. That's part of the Titans' identity for a long time and will continue to be. We'll be a physical football team and we'll be able to run the ball the way we need to win football games. That's probably the best way without going too far in the weeds."
The goal of establishing a physical running game might be tougher to achieve without Derrick Henry, who said his goodbyes to Tennessee at the end of 2023 and isn't expected to return in 2024. Replacing him is just one example of the many bullets Carthon and Callahan will need to cross off their list in 2024.
The good news: The pressure on Callahan to deliver will be low in his first season. Folks likely understand this rebuild won't happen overnight, but if Levis can take another step or two forward under Callahan, they'll be in a much better situation.
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