The Giants fire coach Brian Callahan after a 1-5 start to the season

Brian Callahan has the dubious distinction of being the first NFL coach to be fired this season.

The Tennessee Titans announced Monday they are parting ways with their second-year coach after starting the season at 1-5 with rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the top overall pick in April’s draft, under center. Callahan was 4-19 overall.

“While we are committed to a patient and strategic plan to build a sustainable, winning football program, we have not demonstrated sufficient growth,” Chad Brinker, Titans president of football operations, said in a statement. He added: “Our players, fans and community deserve a football team that achieves a standard that we do not currently achieve, and we are committed to making the difficult decisions necessary to reach and maintain that standard.”

Callahan, the son of former Oakland Raiders and Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, was a backup quarterback at Concord De La Salle High School and served in the same role at UCLA from 2002 to 2005. The former player earned a scholarship his senior year, when he became the Bruins’ holder in field goals and extra point attempts.

Callahan entered the coaching ranks after graduation, winning a Super Bowl as an assistant coach for the Denver Broncos in 2015. He became the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions and Raiders and then the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2019.

A hot commodity for teams searching for a head coach in 2024, Callahan was among at least nine candidates the Chargers interviewed (that job ultimately went to former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh) and one of 10 candidates for the Titans job.

Callahan replaces former coach Mike Vrabel, who was fired after six seasons with the Giants. This weekend, Vrabel will take the 4-2 New England Patriots to Nashville to play his former team. It remains to be seen who will be on the Titans’ sideline as interim head coach.