The 2020 season was the Tennessee Titans' 51st in the National Football League (NFL), their 61st overall, their 24th in the state of Tennessee, and their third under head coach Mike Vrabel. After starting the season 5–0, their first since the 2008 season, the Titans improved upon their 9–7 season from the previous 4 years and earned their first double-digit winning season and division title since 2008. The Titans finished tied with the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC South division title, but won the tiebreaker based on record vs. division opponents (5–1 to 4–2). In the Wild Card Round, the Titans blew a 10–0 lead and were upset by Lamar Jackson's Baltimore Ravens, 20–13. The 2020 Titans were the most recent AFC division champion to lose in the Wild Card round until the Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Buffalo Bills in 2025.
Titans running back and Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year Derrick Henry rushed for 2,000 yards in 2020, making him the second Tennessee Titan to do so, after Chris Johnson; this also made the Titans the first team in league history to have multiple members in the 2,000-yard club.
Offseason
Coaching changes Titans defensive coordinator Dean Pees retired on January 20, 2020, after spending the last two seasons with the team. On the same day, it was announced that secondary coach Kerry Coombs would be leaving to rejoin the coaching staff at Ohio State. On January 28, 2020, the Titans hired Anthony Midget to replace Coombs as secondary coach. On February 6, 2020, former New Orleans Saints and St. Louis Rams head coach Jim Haslett was hired to be the inside linebackers coach for the Titans. Head coach Mike Vrabel decided not to hire a defensive coordinator for the season. Following the Titans' 20–13 defeat against the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, Vrabel revealed that outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen was defensive coordinator in all but title, and that Bowen made the defensive play calls.
Roster changes
Reserve/future free agent contracts Player Position Amani Bledsoe DE Dalyn Dawkins RB Kenneth Durden CB Nigel Harris OLB Parker Hesse TE Daniel Munyer C Kareem Orr CB David Quessenberry G Joshua Smith LB Trevion Thompson WR Shaun Wilson RB Logan Woodside QB
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Free agents 2020 Tennessee Titans Free Agency Position Player Status* Date signed 2019 Team 2020 TeamILBDaren BatesUFA Tennessee Titans Houston TexansWRCameron BatsonERFA February 19, 2020 Tennessee Titans Tennessee TitansOLBVic Beasley UFA March 31, 2020 Atlanta Falcons Tennessee TitansCBTramaine BrockUFA Tennessee Titans Jacksonville JaguarsRTJack ConklinUFA March 20, 2020 Tennessee Titans Cleveland BrownsOLBKamalei CorreaUFA April 10, 2020 Tennessee Titans Tennessee TitansDEJack Crawford UFA April 8, 2020 Atlanta Falcons Tennessee TitansILBNick Dzubnar UFA March 26, 2020 Los Angeles Chargers Tennessee TitansTEAnthony FirkserERFA February 13, 2020 Tennessee Titans Tennessee TitansRBDavid FluellenUFA Tennessee Titans NoneGAvery Gennesy UFA April 17, 2020 None Tennessee TitansOLBReggie GilbertERFA March 10, 2020 Tennessee Titans Tennessee TitansRBDerrick HenryUFA April 2, 2020 Tennessee Titans Tennessee TitansTECole Herdman UFA February 3, 2020 None Tennessee TitansWRDarius JenningsUFA March 30, 2020 Tennessee Titans Los Angeles ChargersNTAustin JohnsonUFA March 30, 2020 Tennessee Titans New York GiantsOTDennis KellyUFA March 16, 2020 Tennessee Titans Tennessee TitansQBMarcus MariotaUFA March 25, 2020 Tennessee Titans Las Vegas RaidersCBChristopher MiltonUFA March 12, 2020 Tennessee Titans Tennessee TitansGKevin PamphileUFA Tennessee Titans NoneTEMyCole PruittUFA March 24, 2020 Tennessee Titans Tennessee TitansCBLogan RyanUFA August 31, 2020 Tennessee Titans New York GiantsOTTy Sambrailo UFA March 25, 2020 Atlanta Falcons Tennessee TitansWRTajae SharpeUFA March 26, 2020 Tennessee Titans Minnesota VikingsCBLeShaun SimsUFA March 31, 2020 Tennessee Titans Cincinnati BengalsCBTye SmithRFA April 21, 2020 Tennessee Titans Tennessee TitansQBRyan TannehillUFA March 17, 2020 Tennessee Titans Tennessee TitansILBWesley WoodyardUFA Tennessee Titans None* Legend: = Addition = Departure = Re-signed
Departures
Position Player Date Released/Waived RB Dion Lewis March 12, 2020 K Ryan Succop March 13, 2020 OLB Cameron Wake March 12, 2020 TE Delanie Walker March 13, 2020
Draft
2020 Tennessee Titans Draft Round Selection Player Position College 1 29 Isaiah Wilson OT Georgia 2 61 Kristian Fulton CB LSU 3 93 Darrynton Evans RB Appalachian State 5 174 Larrell Murchison DT NC State 7 224 Cole McDonald QB Hawaii 243 Chris Jackson CB Marshall
+ 2020 Tennessee Titans Draft Picks: Traded Draft pick year Round Overall Team Received 2019 7 233 to Miami Dolphins Received Miami's 2019 sixth-round selection (No. 188 overall) and quarterback Ryan Tannehill. 2020 4 135 2020 6 208 to Green Bay Packers Received linebacker Reggie Gilbert. 2020 7 237 Received Kansas City's 2021 sixth-round selection.
+ 2020 Tennessee Titans Draft Picks: Received Draft pick year Round Overall Team Traded 2020 7 224 from Cleveland Browns Traded wide receiver Taywan Taylor. 2020 7 237 from Denver Broncos Traded defensive end Jurrell Casey.
Undrafted free agents 2020 Tennessee Titans Undrafted Free Agents Name Position SchoolAaron BrewerCTexas StateCale GarrettILBMissouriTommy HudsonTEArizona StateKhaylan Kearse-ThomasILBArizona StateBrandon KempOTValdosta StateMason KinseyWRBerry CollegeTucker McCannPKMissouriAnthony McKinneyOTTCUCameron ScarlettRBStanfordKobe SmithNTSouth CarolinaTeair TartDTFIUNick Westbrook-IkhineWRIndianaKristian WilkersonWRSoutheast Missouri StateKyle WilliamsWRArizona State
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Made regular season roster
Staff
Final roster
Team captains Ryan Tannehill (QB) Derrick Henry (RB) DaQuan Jones (NT) Kevin Byard (FS) Brett Kern (P)
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Preseason The Titans' preseason schedule was announced on May 7, but was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Week Date Opponent Venue Result 1 at Washington Football Team FedExField Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2 New York Giants Nissan Stadium 3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium 4 Chicago Bears Nissan Stadium
Regular season
Schedule The Titans' 2020 schedule was announced on May 7. Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Denver Broncos W 16–14 1–0 Empower Field at Mile High Recap 2 September 20 Jacksonville Jaguars W 33–30 2–0 Nissan Stadium Recap 3 September 27 at Minnesota Vikings W 31–30 3–0 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 4 Bye 5 Buffalo Bills W 42–16 4–0 Nissan Stadium Recap 6 October 18 Houston Texans W 42–36 5–0 Nissan Stadium Recap 7 October 25 Pittsburgh Steelers L 24–27 5–1 Nissan Stadium Recap 8 November 1 at Cincinnati Bengals L 20–31 5–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 9 November 8 Chicago Bears W 24–17 6–2 Nissan Stadium Recap 10 Indianapolis Colts L 17–34 6–3 Nissan Stadium Recap 11 November 22 at Baltimore Ravens W 30–24 7–3 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 12 November 29 at Indianapolis Colts W 45–26 8–3 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 13 December 6 Cleveland Browns L 35–41 8–4 Nissan Stadium Recap 14 December 13 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 31–10 9–4 TIAA Bank Field Recap 15 December 20 Detroit Lions W 46–25 10–4 Nissan Stadium Recap 16 December 27 at Green Bay Packers L 14–40 10–5 Lambeau Field Recap 17 January 3 at Houston Texans W 41–38 11–5 NRG Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Denver Broncos
Week 2: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings
Stephen Gostkowski kicked a career-high 6 field goals, including 3 from 50+ yards, as the Titans would win another close game against the Vikings.
Week 5: vs. Buffalo Bills
The Titans ended an unplanned two-week hiatus and a three-game losing streak to the Bills, their most recent previous win coming in a 35-34 win at Buffalo in 2012. Ryan Tannehill exceeded 100 in passer rating (129.3) for the second time to date in the season.
Week 6: vs. Houston Texans
The former Houston Oilers reached 5-0 for the second time in club history in what to that point was the highest-scoring (78 combined points) and most competitive game in their sibling-esque rivalry with the present day NFL club of Houston. Behind four Deshaun Watson scores, the Texans erased an early 14-point deficit to lead 36-29 late in the fourth quarter, but Ryan Tannehill completed eight straight passes, ending in a seven-yard touchdown to A. J. Brown, to tie the game in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. In overtime, the Titans advanced 82 yards on six plays and Derrick Henry scored on a direct snap play to win the game 42–36. The Titans' 607 total yards of offense were the most of any team all season.
Week 7: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The game was originally scheduled for Sunday, October 4 at 1:00 p.m. but was postponed due to the Titans and Minnesota Vikings suspending in-person team activities due to several positive COVID-19 tests from Tennessee in the aftermath of the Titans–Vikings game.
The Titans rallied back after falling behind 27–7, scoring 17 unanswered points in the 3rd and 4th quarters. However, with 19 seconds left in the 4th quarter, kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed what would have been a game-tying 45-yard field goal to send the game into overtime, sealing the Titans' first loss of the season and extending their losing streak against the Steelers to three games, dating back to Week 11 of the 2014 season.
Week 8: at Cincinnati Bengals
The Titans suffered their fifth loss to the Bengals in nine meetings since the two teams were split out of the former AFC Central in 2002.
Week 9: vs. Chicago Bears
The Titans ended their two-game slide by edging the Bears (the team where their former head coach Jeff Fisher both played and began his coaching career) despite being limited to 228 yards of total offense. Ryan Tannehill completed just ten of 21 passes but two were touchdowns including a spirited 40-yard score to A. J. Brown. Desmond King also scored when he recovered a fumble and ran in 63 yards.
Week 10: vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts scored on a 24-yard drive following a poor Titans punt then scored again on a blocked punt. This was Indianapolis’ third straight win at Nissan Stadium.
Week 11: at Baltimore Ravens
In what turned out to be a playoff preview, the Titans rallied to beat the Ravens in overtime in a game in which the referees had to break up a pregame argument between Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and Titans cornerback Malcolm Butler; a similar scenario occurred involving Harbaugh and Mike Vrabel. Mark Andrews’ 31-yard score put Baltimore up 21–10, but two Stephen Gostkowski field goals (the second came after Lamar Jackson was intercepted at the Titans' 9-yard line) were followed by a bulling 14-yard touchdown catch by A. J. Brown and a Ryan Tannehill two-point run to give Tennessee the lead, 24–21. Jackson threw for 48 yards and rushed for 22 for the game-tying field goal, but in overtime, Tannehill completed three passes for 36 yards before Derrick Henry tore through for the 29-yard touchdown to seal the game, 30–24.
Week 12: at Indianapolis Colts
The Titans won at Lucas Oil Stadium for the third time in four trips leading wire to wire against the Colts and reaching eight wins. Derrick Henry erupted to three rushing touchdowns (the first on a lateral from Ryan Tannehill) in the first half, becoming the first player with the club with three rushing scores since Lorenzo White ran in four touchdowns against the Browns in the club's days as the Houston Oilers. A. J. Brown caught a touchdown and also scored when he caught an onside kick by the Colts.
The win marked only the third time in the history of the AFC South (and first time in consecutive seasons) that the road team in the Colts-Titans rivalry won both games.
Week 13: vs. Cleveland Browns