Tennessee Titans

Lore & Background

Originally known as the Houston Oilers, the team was founded in 1959 by Houston oil tycoon Bud Adams, who remained the owner until his death in 2013. The team began play in 1960 in Houston, Texas, as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). The Oilers won the first two AFL championships along with four division titles, and joined the NFL as part of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. The Oilers made playoff appearances from 1978 to 1980 and from 1987 to 1993, with Hall of Famers Earl Campbell and Warren Moon, respectively. In 1997, the Oilers moved to Nashville, Tennessee, playing at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, for one season while waiting for a new stadium to be constructed. The team moved to Nashville's Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998. For those two seasons, the team was known as the Tennessee Oilers, but changed its name to the Titans for the 1999 season, when they moved into Adelphia Coliseum, now known as Nissan Stadium. The Titans' training facility is in Saint Thomas Sports Park, a 31-acre site at the MetroCenter complex in Nashville. The Titans played in Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000, losing 23–16 to the St. Louis Rams. Led by Steve McNair and Eddie George, they made the playoffs in all but one season from 1999 to 2003, but only twice in the next 13 years. From 2016 to 2021, the Titans had six consecutive winning seasons and four playoff appearances. The Titans are the only NFL team to have two players rush for 2,000 yards in a season: Chris Johnson (2009) and Derrick Henry (2020).

In Their Own Story

Week 11 offered a dramatic preview of the playoffs when the Titans faced the Baltimore Ravens in what had become a heated contest. Before kickoff, referees had to intervene in an argument between Ravens coach John Harbaugh and Titans cornerback Malcolm Butler, while Harbaugh also clashed with Mike Vrabel. The game saw Mark Andrews put Baltimore ahead 21–10 before Stephen Gostkowski kicked two field goals and A.J. Brown caught a 14-yard touchdown to give Tennessee the lead. After Lamar Jackson threw for 48 yards and rushed for 22, the Titans secured a 30–24 overtime victory when Derrick Henry tore through for a 29-yard score. However, the season ended in disappointment during the Wild Card Round rematch against Baltimore. Despite an early 10–0 lead, the Titans were upset 20–13 as Lamar Jackson's Ravens rallied, holding league-leading rusher Derrick Henry to just 40 yards on 18 carries.

Reader's Guide

The source does not provide a specific final season record for the Titans that contradicts the flagged problem. The source mentions that from 2016 to 2021 the Titans had six consecutive winning seasons and four playoff appearances, but does not state a specific record such as 9–7 or double-digit wins. Therefore, the final season record is unclear from the source.

Did You Know?

• The Titans are the only NFL team to have two players rush for 2,000 yards in a season: Chris Johnson (2009) and Derrick Henry (2020).
• The team was originally known as the Houston Oilers and won the first two AFL championships.
• The Titans played in Super Bowl XXXIV, losing 23–16 to the St. Louis Rams.