NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans get a huge upgrade in John Fassel as their new special teams coach.
While special teams settled down late in the season for Colt Anderson and the Titans, he was over his head for too long at the start and Brian Callahan admitted the mistake and went out and found much better. “Bones” Fassell has long had a reputation as one of the best special teams coaches in the NFL.

Nothing about Anderson's fate has been determined outside of Fassel taking his role as special teams coordinator. He remains with the team for now.
The Titans had two punts blocked (tied for league-worst) with one returned for a score and gave up a league-high 655 punt return yards, 125 more than anyone else in the NFL. They gave up the second-highest kickoff return average in the NFL at 32.1 yards.
Anderson answered very poorly for the Titans' special teams failures.
“How could we have been so poor?” — Colt Anderson reviews special teams’ disaster. #Titans pic.twitter.com/0XxpJG195o
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) September 12, 2024
But he alone is not at fault.
The Titans’ roster builders – Ran Carthon and Chad Brinker – chose very poorly at the start of the season, and things only settled down when youngsters like James Williams improved and when a veteran like Justin Hardee was added to the roster at the start of November.
John Fassel is a massive upgrade.
— Jake (@JakeAndBall) January 20, 2025
Cowboys ST this year:
• 1st in KR TDs
• 1st in KR AVG
• 1st in 40+ yard KR
• 1st in PR TDs
• 14th in PR AVG
• 8th in 20+ yard PR
• 11th in KR AVG allowed
• 13th in NET Punting
• 2nd in FGM
• 1 of 3 teams to recover an onside kick. pic.twitter.com/Mpzv31Arvi
The Titans moved away from some of their better special teamers when they established their final roster coming out of camp: Anthony Kendall, Matthew Jackson and Hasaan Haskins.
Also sixth-round rookie Jha'Quan Jackson was inactive for the final five games after fumble problems as the Titans return man.
Better days are likely ahead for a team that has struggled to find reliable return men.
Just saw @Marcus_Mosher tweeting about this, but three years ago the Cowboys signed KaVontae Turpin out of the USFL. John Fassel developed him into an All-Pro KR.
— Holding the #1 pick for ransom (@jlomas72) January 20, 2025
Two years ago they signed Brandon Aubrey out of the USFL. Fassel developed him into a two-time All-Pro kicker.
Good…