Titans announce John Fassel as special teams coach among staff changes
Fassel replaces Colt Anderson, who lasted only one season on the job as special teams coordinator. Fassel will be joined by Rayna Stewart, who followed him from Dallas as assistant special teams coach. The Titans also hired Tony Oden as passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach on defense. Luke Stocker has been promoted to tight ends coach.
Tennessee also announced that Chris Harris, who had been the passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach, tight ends coach Justin Outten and assistant special teams coach Anthony Levine had expiring contracts and won't return.
Fassel worked with the Cowboys between 2020 through the 2024 season, helping Dallas rank among the NFL's best on special teams. Three of his players earned six Pro Bowl berths, including returner KaVontae Turpin and kicker Brandon Aubrey this season. The Cowboys set an NFL record in averaging 32.1 yards per kickoff with Turpin leading the league with 33.5 yards per kickoff return. He also had a 60-yard punt return. Aubrey was second in field goals made.
Fassel also has been special teams coordinator for the Rams between 2012 and 2019 and the Raiders between 2009-2011. He was the Rams' interim head coach for the final three games of the 2016 season. He started as a special teams assistant with Baltimore in 2005 through 2007 and was assistant special teams coordinator in 2008 in Oakland before being promoted. The son of late NFL coach Jim Fassel also was head coach at New Mexico Highlands from 2003 to 2004.
Stewart worked with Fassel the past three seasons in Dallas. This is his third stint with the NFL franchise that drafted him in the fifth round in 1996. He also played for Miami and Jacksonville before going into coaching in 2007. Then-Titans coach Jeff Fisher hired him as a defensive quality control coach in 2009. Stewart also worked at Vanderbilt between 2015 and 2018. He went to Green Bay as special teams assistant in 2019 through 2021 before going to Dallas.
Oden has 19 years of NFL experience coaching and eight more in college. He spent the past four seasons with the New York Jets as senior defensive assistant for cornerbacks. He also has coached with San Francisco in 2020, Miami in 2018-2019, Detroit between 2014-17, Tampa Bay in 2013, Jacksonville (2012), New Orleans between 2006-2011 and Houston in 2004-2005.
Stocker started with Tennessee as an offensive assistant in 2023 under then-coach Mike Vrabel. Callahan had Stocker helping Outten with tight ends in 2024, and now he replaces Outten. Stocker played 11 seasons in the NFL with Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Atlanta and Minnesota after being a fourth-round draft pick in 2011 by the Buccaneers.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press
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