Titans’ coach Brian Callahan admits he didn’t know NFL catch rule

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The second-year coach didn’t throw his red challenge flag after his rookie receiver was ruled to have come down out of bounds.

Associated Press

Arnie Stapleton

Published Sep 09, 2025 • 3 minute read

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Head coach Brian Callahan of the Tennessee Titans looks at his play book during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos during the game at Empower Field At Mile High on September 7, 2025 in Denver. Photo by Justin Edmonds /Getty Images North AmericaArticle content

DENVER — Brian Callahan stands corrected — unlike the call he failed to challenge.

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The Titans’ second-year coach acknowledged Monday that he didn’t know the NFL catch rule Sunday when he didn’t throw his red challenge flag in Tennessee’s 20-12 loss at Denver after his rookie receiver made an acrobatic catch but was ruled to have come down out of bounds.

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On first-and-20 with the Titans trailing by a point late in the third quarter, Elic Ayomanor raced down the Tennessee sideline, leaped over cornerback Riley Moss and hauled in a 21-yard pass from Cam Ward.

Ayomanor appeared to get his right elbow down inbounds before any other part of his body hit the white line out of bounds. When the officials ruled an incompletion, however, Callahan didn’t challenge the call and the Titans went on to punt after two more misfires.

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It proved to be a big blunder in a one-score road loss in which the Titans, who went 3-14 in Callahan’s first season, were held to 133 yards of offense to go with 131 yards in penalties that were walked off against them.

Pressed after the game why he didn’t challenge the call, Callahan explained, “You’ve got to get a foot in bounds, too, which we didn’t have a clean look at whether his foot was down, as well. An elbow doesn’t equal two feet, so his foot would have had to come down, as well. We didn’t have a clean look, so the call from upstairs was that it wasn’t worth challenging.”

Wrong on all accounts.

One elbow does equal two feet — the NFL rulebook is clear that a catch is good if a player “touches the ground inbounds with both feet or with any part of his body other than his hands.”

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And it certainly was worth a challenge, something Callahan acknowledged Monday.

“My interpretation of the rule was wrong,” Callahan said after having had more time to ponder his decision. “I’ll own it. We should have challenged the play and that’s pretty much all I can say about it.”

Or will say.

Asked if those advising him about the play also were unaware of the NFL’s rules for what constitutes a catch, Callahan demurred, saying he won’t discuss the process and, besides, the decision falls on him as head coach.

Payton’s unconventional call

If it’s any consolation, Callahan’s wasn’t the only curious call in Denver on Sunday.

Facing fourth-and-8 from the Titans’ 36 with 1:05 remaining and Denver clinging to its eight-point lead, it appeared Broncos coach Sean Payton had a choice between sending out his rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw to try to pin Tennessee deep or kicker Wil Lutz to attempt a 54-yard field goal.

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After timeouts by both teams, Payton kept his offense on the field, however, and dialed up a pass play. Bo Nix was unable to hit Marvin Mims Jr. at the 5-yard line and the Titans took over. Three incompletions and a strip sack later, the Broncos had the win, after which Payton disputed any notion that going for it was a head-scratcher.

He said he knew the Titans would be in a cover-zero look with pure man-to-man coverage and no deep safeties, so it wasn’t the roll-the-dice choice it might have appeared.

Payton also said he had faith in Lutz making it from that distance, “but the way we’re playing defensively, you have to look at the quickest way for them to take the ball 64 yards would be a scoop and score” following a blocked field goal try.

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“And I didn’t want that to happen,” Payton said. “So, we had a lot of time to think about it. I felt real good about the call.”

So did Nix.

“I felt like we had a good play,” Nix said. “We were going to max protect it. We knew they were going to be in (cover) zero. They just brought the house. They brought everybody, and it’s hard. You don’t have enough guys to block them. You hopefully have enough time to buy some time. Probably just a few inches higher, Marvin goes out there and catches it.”

Courtland Sutton “was probably open, as well,” Nix said. “It’s just tough for them to cover crossers like that in a zero situation. Sometimes you hit them; sometimes you don’t. That one, coach was aggressive. Next time we’ll hit it.”

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Titans’ coach Brian Callahan admits he didn’t know NFL catch rule

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