No. The Tennessee Titans did not play today.
Today is Sunday, January 18, 2026, and while the NFL Divisional Round is currently in full swing across the country, the lights at Nissan Stadium remain dark. For Titans fans, this has become a somewhat frustrating reality of the post-Vrabel era. If you’re looking for a score or a channel to watch the boys in two-tone blue, you won't find one. Their season officially wrapped up exactly two weeks ago on January 4th.
Honestly, it wasn't the ending anyone in Nashville wanted. A 41-7 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18 put a final, painful exclamation point on a 3-14 campaign.
While the New England Patriots are hosting the Houston Texans right now, and the Chicago Bears are prepping for the Los Angeles Rams, the Titans are already neck-deep in "next year" mode. This means coaching searches, draft boards, and wondering if the Cam Ward era is actually the answer.
Where the Titans Stand Right Now
It’s weird to think about a Sunday in January without Titans football if you grew up in the McNair or Henry eras. But here we are. The team is currently watching the playoffs from the couch like the rest of us.
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The 2025-2026 season was, to put it bluntly, a massive growing pain. The roster featured nine draft picks who all saw significant action, including rookie quarterback Cam Ward, who managed to start every single game. That’s a silver lining, I guess. Usually, rookie QBs in Tennessee end up on the injury report by November, so seeing him take every snap of a 17-game season is a win for the training staff, if not the win-loss column.
If you're checking for updates because you heard "Titans" news today, you might be seeing reports about Cal State Fullerton. Their water polo team actually split a double-header today against CSUMB and San Diego State. Or maybe you caught a headline about the NFL's hiring cycle; there are plenty of rumors flying around that the Titans are poking around coaches like Brian Daboll to see who can fix the offensive stagnation that defined their year.
The Brutal Reality of the 2025 Schedule
The reason "did the Titans play today" is even a question is that fans often lose track of just how fast the season slips away when you aren't in the hunt.
Tennessee’s season was effectively over by Halloween. After a 1-7 start, the remaining games felt more like a prolonged audition for the 2026 roster. They did manage a couple of highlight-reel moments, like that 26-9 upset of the Kansas City Chiefs back in December, but those were outliers.
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When you look at the Divisional Round matchups happening today, it’s a reminder of the gap between the Titans and the elite of the AFC:
- The Texans are playing. This hurts because they are a division rival that seems to have rebuilt in half the time.
- The Bills and Broncos played yesterday, showing what a high-powered offense actually looks like.
- The Patriots are still a factor, proving that coaching stability (or a really good reboot) matters.
What’s Happening Behind the Scenes in Nashville
Since the team isn't on the field today, what are they actually doing?
General Manager Ran Carthon and the front office are likely huddled in meetings right now. They have a massive checklist. First on that list is evaluating the rookie class. While the record was ugly, wide receivers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike became only the third rookie duo in NFL history to both cross 40 catches, 400 yards, and 4 touchdowns in a season.
That’s a real foundation. It’s not a "playoff win today" kind of foundation, but it’s something.
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The defense also finished with 42 sacks, their highest total since 2023. Big Jeffery Simmons is still a wrecking ball, but even he couldn't stop the bleeding in that Week 18 disaster against Jacksonville. The team knows they need help in the secondary—badly. Three of the four starters in the secondary for the season finale were making their first career starts. You just can’t win playoff games, or even regular-season games, with that level of greenness.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Opponents
We already know who the Titans will face next year, even if we don't know the dates yet. The NFL released the 2026 opponent list as soon as the regular season ended.
They’ll be hosting:
- Jacksonville, Houston, Indianapolis (the usual suspects)
- Cleveland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
- The New York Jets
Going on the road will be even tougher. They have to travel to Dallas, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and the New York Giants. If the Titans want to be playing on a Sunday in mid-January 2027, the improvement has to be exponential.
Actionable Steps for the Offseason
If you're a Titans fan wondering what to do now that the season is over and there's no game today, here is how you can stay plugged in without the Sunday afternoon stress.
- Watch the Senior Bowl and Combine: Since Tennessee will have a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, these events are essentially the Titans' "playoffs" this year. Keep a close eye on offensive line prospects; Cam Ward won't last another 17-game season if he keeps taking the hits he took this year.
- Track the Coaching Carousel: The Titans are in the market for fresh ideas. Follow local reporters like Paul Kuharsky or the crew at Titans Online for the latest interview requests.
- Review the 2025 Stats: Take a look at the "Titans-Jaguars Week 18 Postgame Notes" on the official team site. It gives a deep dive into the snap counts and rookie progressions that will determine who stays and who goes.
- Check the Salary Cap: Tennessee has a decent chunk of change to play with this spring. Look at the impending free agents in the secondary—that is where the most aggressive moves will likely happen.
The Titans didn't play today, and based on the current state of the AFC South, they have a mountain to climb before they're invited back to the January party. For now, we watch the Texans and Patriots and hope the lessons of a 3-14 season actually stick.