The Tennessee Titans are sitting at a brutal 0-5 to kick off their 2026 season, and their front office isn’t just quiet about it. Titans president and CEO Burke Nihill has already sent apology emails to fans, and now he’s out here telling ESPN’s Turron Davenport that he feels “a sense of grief” over this winless start. This isn’t just talk, either. The team’s struggles have their leadership admitting things are just plain bad.
“We’re Sorry”: The Public Apology for a Painful Season
Nihill didn’t mince words, flat out telling Davenport, “The first thing I would say back to the fans is just that we’re sorry.” Seriously, an executive saying that means things are really hitting rock bottom. He’s not sugarcoating it. Nihill emphasized that nobody in the building is unaffected, stating everyone feels “a sense of grief” because they’re not only fans themselves, but they also carry “the sense of responsibility to deliver.” When football isn’t fun, and the team is letting people down, that’s a problem, and Nihill knows it. He pointed out the obvious, “We’re 0-5, and that’s not nearly good enough. It hasn’t been for a while.” Adding to the weight of it all, owner Amy Adam-Strunk herself is “feeling a lot of grief” over how poorly the team has played this season.
A Train on the Tracks That Won’t Move?
Despite all that public sorrow, Nihill still doubled down on his faith in general manager Mike Borgonzi and coach Robert Saleh. He told Davenport, “I personally feel a sense of stability. I believe that Mike Borgonzi and Robert Saleh are ultimately going to get this team out of the woods and restore it to competitive football.” Stability? When you’re 0-5? That’s a bold claim. Nihill tried to paint a hopeful picture, saying, “The train is on the tracks. It just hasn’t picked up momentum, but it will.” He insisted there’s “organizational belief in Mike, in Robert, and they absolutely have all the support they need to get this train moving and moving faster.” Plus, he’s confident in Saleh’s “investing in Cam Ward.” But let’s be real, the numbers tell a different story. The Titans have gone a dismal 3-19 since Ward’s rookie 2025 campaign began. Yikes. It’s wild to think this same leadership secured a bid to host Super Bowl LXIV in 2030 at their new stadium opening in 2027. Seems like success off the field isn’t translating to the gridiron at all.
This “apology tour” by Nihill comes right after A to Z Sports reported fans were getting apology emails promising the front office was “working tirelessly to build the competitive team you deserve.” Can it actually bring fans back? The attendance for their Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans was just over 52,000, which Nick Gray of the Nashville Tennessean called the lowest announced total since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Titans’ next home game in Week 7 will be a huge test. Will Nihill’s words be enough, or are fans truly fed up with a train that’s stuck in the station?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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