Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi and head coach Brian Callahan outlined the inner workings of their relationship and how they are evaluating what to do with the No. 1 overall pick.
The Titans have multiple needs heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, highlighted by a hole at quarterback. Do they roll the dice on Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders? Or do they trade the top pick and draft a freakish athlete like cornerback Travis Hunter or pass rusher Abdul Carter?
Everything appears to be in play for Tennessee, with Borgonzi and Callahan in lockstep as they draw on their experiences from owning the No. 1 pick in previous drafts.
Evaluating the Titans’ Draft Strategy
Callahan was the offensive coordinator for Cincinnati in 2020 when the Bengals selected Joe Burrow. That team desperately needed a franchise quarterback, and it got one. Burrow aced every test at the NFL Scouting Combine that year, particularly his one-on-one conversations with Bengals brass.
“You could just tell this guy is wired to be a killer,” Callahan told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
💥💥 @TheMMQB, post-Combine 💥💥
➡️ The Lead, on the @Titans and the No. 1 pick: https://t.co/DN84nJZCvE
➡️ Takeaways, on Ewers, Stafford, @Giants QBs: https://t.co/GBLdKIClh0 pic.twitter.com/aw6HeM69hp— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 3, 2025
Meanwhile, Borgonzi was in a similar situation in 2013 when he was working under then-Chiefs general manager John Dorsey. Kansas City owned the No. 1 overall pick that year and needed a quarterback, but the Chiefs opted to draft offensive tackle Eric Fisher instead.
Why? It was a weak quarterback class (see: EJ Manuel at No. 16). Instead, they traded for Alex Smith, who guided the Chiefs to four playoff appearances in five seasons. That decision paved the way for them to draft Patrick Mahomes in 2017.
“When you’re taking a guy that high, they have to have rare physical traits,” Borgonzi told Breer.
Will Levis, Mason Rudolph Top Titans’ QB Depth Chart
The Titans do have options at quarterback heading into the 2025 season. Will Levis is entering the third year of the four-year rookie deal he signed in 2023. He threw for 2,091 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while completing 63.1% of his passes last year.
Levis, a second-round pick in 2023, missed five games due to a right shoulder sprain, which allowed backup Mason Rudolph to make his case for the starting job. He didn’t take advantage of the opportunity. Rudolph went 1-4 in five starts, throwing for 1,530 yards, nine touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
#Titans will also host Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter early next week. Their goal is to have visits with the top four prospects before the start of free agency on Wed, Mar 12. https://t.co/Qh4h7MKAdp
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) March 3, 2025
No firm decision has been made on next year’s starter, though Callahan recently gave Rudolph a vote of confidence. The free-agent-to-be could return to the Titans.
“Mason is certainly under consideration,” Callahan told Jim Wyatt of Titans.com. “Mason was a really quality player for us, especially the importance of that position—the second quarterback. Being able to manage part of the room, perform, I was really pleased with Mason. I would welcome him back if that was the right fit.”
Character, Communication, Connection, Commitment
One thing that stood out in Breer’s evaluation of the Borgonzi-Callahan dynamic is how aligned they are in the intangibles they value. Borgonzi keeps a detailed book of essential characteristics, specifically what he calls the four C’s: Character, Communication, Connection, Commitment.
Ironically, Callahan had written three of those words—Character, Communication, Connected Team—on a sign he made for the Titans’ team room. Seeing those words and understanding that synergy was what first bonded Callahan and Borgonzi in Tennessee.
“We haven’t even talked for more than two hours, and we see the value of what makes championship football teams,” Callahan told Breer, reflecting on the moment he saw Borgonzi’s book. “I think that’s probably what drew me to Mike the most. I saw those things. And then you look at all the things that he’s done in his tenure at Kansas City.”