3 things to know about Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly
The Tennessee Titans officially hired Tim Kelly as the team's new offensive coordinator Tuesday.
Kelly, 36, takes over the position in Nashville after spending 2022 as the Titans' passing game coordinator. He was promoted along with several other coaching changes that the Titans announced Tuesday. He'll replace former offensive coordinator Todd Downing, who was fired after Tennessee missed the playoffs this season.
Here's everything to know about the Titans' new offensive coordinator.
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This isn't his first time as an OC
Before spending a year with the Titans as the passing game coordinator, Kelly came to Nashville after spending eight years in Houston.
Kelly previously worked in quality control with the Houston Texans, and assisted with the offensive line and coaching tight ends. After about four seasons, he got promoted as the offensive coordinator in 2019 and was credited with Deshaun Watson's success.
However, he was also credited with the Texans' offensive downfall in 2021 when Tyrod Taylor and Davis Mills took over as quarterbacks. Kelly was fired after leading Houston to a losing record (4-14) with no hope in sight.
Kelly's brother is a former Tennessee Titan
Kelly's brother Dennis, who is currently an offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts, played for the Titans from 2016-2020.
Dennis was first drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, then was traded to Tennessee in exchange for wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. He notably replaced former lineman Taylor Lewan after he made contact with an official during the 2016 season, then established himself as a starter after Lewan was suspended for violations.
Dennis signed a three-year, $21 million extension with the Titans in 2020, but was released in March after Tennessee lost to the Baltimore Ravens in the 2021 Wild Card Round.
College coaching experience
Before following former Texans and Penn State coach Bill O'Brien to Houston, Kelly jumped around the Midwest as a college coaching assistant.
He played in college at Eastern Illinois at defensive tackle and went into coaching as an assistant graduate at Illinois Wesleyan in 2008. He was a graduate assistant in 2010 at Minnesota State-Moorhead and moved on to Ball State in 2011.
Kelly worked under O'Brien from 2012-2013 at Penn State in the same role, and followed him to coach the Texans in 2014. They spent another several years together in Houston before O'Brien was fired in 2020.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans Tim Kelly offensive coordinator things to know
