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In the current outlook, the Tennessee Titans have a spirited quarterback battle at hand. And their coach may need to produce plenty of wins in 2025 to keep his job. But it’s time to look back, and here are the 10 greatest Tennessee Titans teams of all time.
It started in 1960, when the Houston Oilers came into being in the first year of the American Football League. Instantly, the team had success, winning the first two championships. They lost in the 1963 title game, falling short of a threepeat (before that was a word).
The well ran dry after that. The Oilers joined the NFL in 1970 and posted an overall record of 9-45 in their first four seasons. They never reached the Super Bowl while in Houston.
In 1997, they moved to Tennessee and retained the Oilers nickname. But in 1999, they became the Titans and, ironically, finally reached the Super Bowl — even though they lost.
So, away we go with the top 10 teams in Titans history.
After a 3-2 start to the season, the Titans rallied for six straight wins. They got derailed with close losses to the Jets and Colts, but finished the regular season with a mark of 12-4.
In the playoffs, they rode the combination of running back Eddie George and quarterback Steve McNair to a tight 20-17 win over the Ravens in the divisional round. Gary Anderson’s 46-yard field goal with 29 seconds remaining was the game-winner.
Unfortunately, the rising New England Patriots were up next. The Patriots and Tom Brady had one Super Bowl in their pocket and were on their way to back-to-back titles. Adam Vinatieri’s 46-yard field goal with 4:11 in the fourth quarter gave the Pats the win.
A 1-4 start didn’t keep the Titans out of the playoffs. They won 10 of their last 11 games and held off the Steelers in overtime to reach the AFC title game.
Against the Raiders, the Titans worked their way to a 17-14 lead in the second quarter. They fell behind, but pulled within three points, 27-24, on McNair’s 13-yard scoring run late in the third quarter. But a pair of Raiders’ touchdowns sealed the deal. McNair had 247 total yards and accounted for all three Titans’ touchdowns.
After winning back-to-back AFL titles, the Oilers had a strong regular season with a record of 11-3. They closed with seven straight wins, and a third consecutive title seemed to be in the cards.
But in the championship game, the Dallas Texans had other ideas and burst out to a 17-0 halftime lead. The Oilers rallied behind George Blanda, who threw a touchdown pass and kicked a 31-yard field goal. Charley Tolar’s 1-yard scoring run sent the game into overtime. The Texans prevailed when Tommy Brooker nailed a 25-yard field goal.
This team will always have a special place in Titans/Oilers history. Not only was...
