West Tennessee’s Bo Hardegree Takes Over Titans Play-Calling Duties
There is a new play-caller in Nashville, and the move lands squarely at the intersection of urgency and familiarity. Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan has handed off offensive play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree, a West Tennessee native with a dozen NFL seasons on his résumé and a long, deliberate climb through the coaching ranks. The shift was announced on September 23, two days after a 41–20 loss to the Colts dropped Tennessee to 0–3, and it redefines how the Titans will operate on game day while preserving Callahan’s strategic imprint during the week.
Why Now
Callahan has served as the Titans’ play-caller since becoming head coach in 2024. He said he would remain involved in the planning and sequencing, but delegating the live call sheet to Hardegree would give the head coach more bandwidth in practice, meetings, and high-leverage game situations to manage the broader operation. Now in his second season with Tennessee and twelfth in the NFL, Hardegree has called plays before and has a track record of midseason stabilization.
Ward’s Buy-In
Quarterback Cam Ward endorsed the transition without hesitation.
“I think it’s going to be great,” Ward said on Wednesday. “He understands the offense as a whole, where my head is, just what I see on the field. He has experience with the Raiders, and he has been around some great quarterbacks.
“But I just think the biggest thing about Bo is that he’s going to put us all in a situation especially today, just finally listening to him, say the play call, play call is just coming in, me thinking, watching more film with him just what he’s thinking, then also Coach (Brian) Callahan having his input on it.”
Ward’s comfort with Hardegree began before he was even drafted.
“He’s one of the first ones who hit me up in the pre-draft process,” Ward said. “I talked to him, made a lot of phone calls, and did a lot of installs with Bo throughout the pre-draft process, so I have a great relationship with him. I meet with him every day. He knows where my mind is and how I feel space on the field. I just think he’s going to be a good addition for us.”
Ward also addressed the bigger picture.
“I don’t think (play-calling) has been an issue,” Ward said. “I think the biggest thing is that Coach Callahan just has so much to deal with, and it’s probably hard for him to give a play call. He’s one of the best play-callers out there. But he has a lot of important decisions to make for us to win games. And I think that he is giving that up to Bo, right now, he thinks it’s best for us, and I think it is best for us as well. So whatever Coach agrees with, I’m going to go with.”
Through three games, Ward has completed 54 of 99 passes for 506 yards with two touchdowns, one interception, and a 71.4 rating.
A Tennessee Throughline
Hardegree’s roots run local and deep. He grew up in Jackson and attended Central-Merry High School, where he was an all-state quarterback and a state champion tennis player. At JCM, his senior season included 23 touchdown passes and 1,869 yards on the way to an unbeaten regular season and a state semifinal berth. He signed with Tennessee in 2003, made the All-SEC Academic Team all four years, and graduated with a 3.9 GPA in exercise science.
“I had a great foundation in Jackson, and many good people helped me get to this point in my career,” Hardegree said. “It’s all about opportunities and making sure you are ready for those opportunities when they come along.”
Initially eyeing medical school, Hardegree pivoted after a nudge from David Cutcliffe.
“I did, and it was like, ‘Wow, I kind of like this,’” Hardegree said. “I think Coach Cutcliffe saw a lot of drive in me. I asked the right questions in meetings and showed that I was always prepared and knew what was happening.”
The Resume
Hardegree began in the NFL with Denver in 2014 as an offensive quality control coach. He followed John Fox to Chicago, coached quarterbacks in Miami, then served as an offensive assistant with the Jets and Patriots before joining the Raiders as quarterbacks coach and later interim offensive coordinator. He has worked with Jay Cutler, Ryan Tannehill, David Carr, Mac Jones, and Brock Osweiler, among others.
Adam Gase’s evaluation from their Denver interview still resonates. “His preparation, work ethic, and intelligence were above any other candidate that we interviewed for our quality control coaching position,” Gase said. “That was the start of my relationship with Bo … He represents everything good about the coaching profession.”
In 2023, Hardegree took over play-calling for Las Vegas over the final nine games. The offense improved across the board, including yards per game from 268.3 to 308.4, yards per play from 4.6 to 5.1, rushing yards from 70.0 to 109.1, third-down rate from 32.6 percent to 37.8 percent, and points per game from 15.8 to 22.9. Rookie Aidan O’Connell started all nine, went 5–4, threw for 1,905 yards and 11 touchdowns, and posted an 83.9 rating. The stretch included a franchise-record 63 points against the Chargers and a Christmas Day win at Kansas City.
When Callahan got the Titans job in 2024, Hardegree came home.
“It was a chance to join my home-state team and be around family for a change,” Hardegree said. “We have a lot of work to do, but we’re addressing all of the issues and waiting to see what happens in the April draft.”
What It Means
Hardegree’s familiarity with Ward, his multi-system background, and his ability to stabilize an offense midseason all point to a tighter, clearer Titans identity. The assignment also frees Callahan to manage end-game decisions, challenge strategy, and situational football without the split-second burden of sequencing every snap.
For a team searching for traction, the formula is straightforward. Align the language, marry the run and pass, lean into Ward’s strengths, protect the football, and finish drives. The Titans do not need a reinvention. They need rhythm, clarity, and a steady hand on the call sheet. Hardegree has done it before. Now he gets to do it in his home state.
*Cam Ward’s quotes come directly from the Tennessee Titans organization. Jim Wyatt conducted the interview.
