DENTON, Texas – John Fassel was ready for a change.
And, the popular and successful veteran special teams coach believes he's found a great fit in Tennessee.
He's looking forward to making a difference.
"I'd been at Dallas for five years, and sometimes you just get to a point where it feels like you want a little bit of a change of scenery, the competitor in you wants to go somewhere new and kind of start over again," Fassel said from the East-West Shrine Bowl. "There's a lot of factors. Obviously in Dallas, with the head coaching change, there was a lot of unknown, so that was a big part of it. I had the opportunity to make a decision to go to Tennessee instead of waiting to see what was going to happen in Dallas, and I was excited about that. Plus, I've always kind of been interested in Nashville. So, there's a lot of perfect storm reasons why I felt it was the right time."
At the time, the Cowboys hadn't yet promoted Brian Schottenheimer to head coach, which they did on Friday.
Another reason Fassel said he was confident in the move: He believes in Titans coach Brian Callahan.
Fassel joined Callahan and Tennessee's coaches at the East-West Shrine Bowl on Friday. The Titans hired Fassel after making a change on the coaching staff on special teams, where the team had its share of struggles in 2024.
"I think coming to a team where it feels like it's new, it's young, a great staff is in place," Fassel said. "It makes you want to be a part of something you think is going to go in the right direction. So, that is very enticing, to go to a place where it feels fresh and new and young. And, you want to be a part of things (going up)."
Rayna Stewart, a former Houston/Tennessee Oiler player and Titans assistant coach who most recently coached alongside Fassel in Dallas, will also join Callahan's staff in Tennessee as a special teams assistant.
Colt Anderson and Anthony Levine, special teams coaches from Callahan's staff last year, will not return.
Fassel has been an NFL special teams coordinator since 2008, most recently holding the post with the Dallas Cowboys since 2020. Fassel was a longtime special teams coordinator for the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams (2012-2019), and he served as the Rams' head coach for three games in 2016 after the team dismissed former Rams and Titans coach Jeff Fisher.
During his time in the NFL, Fassel has been known as one of the most creative special teams coaches in the league, and one of the best. In addition to his time with the Cowboys and Rams, Fassel headed up special teams with the Oakland Raiders from 2008-11. He was an assistant special teams coach with the Ravens from 2005-2007.
Most recently, he dramatically improved the Cowboys special teams unit since his arrival in 2020.
Three players coached by Fassel in Dallas earned a total of six Pro Bowl selections: punter Bryan Anger (2021 and 2023), returner KaVontae Turpin (2022 and 2024) and kicker Brandon Aubrey (2023 and 2024).
In 2024, the Cowboys set an all-time NFL record with an average of 32.1 yards per kickoff return (1,091 yards on 34 returns). Turpin averaged a league-best 33.5 yards per kickoff return and scored touchdowns on a 99-yard kickoff return and a 60-yard punt return. Aubrey ranked second in field goals made (40), including a league-high 14 field goals of 50-plus yards. Meanwhile, the team's coverage units ranked 11th in opponent kickoff return average (27.1).
"He is one of the best in the business at his job," Callahan said of Fassel. "Any time you get a chance to add someone of that caliber, and improve a phase of your game like that, it is incredible. He's a guy who is not available very often, and he happened to be available at the right time, and we made a move to get him, and he thought this was a great fit for him.
"So, I am really excited about that – that's a team-changing style there. He's unbelievable, and his reputation is impeccable – players love playing for him, and he has such energy. Shoot, I am excited to be in his meetings."
Fassel, the son of late NFL coach Jim Fassel, who guided the New York Giants to the Super Bowl during the 2000 season, said he's excited about having the chance to make a difference in Tennessee.
He'll preach, and he'll teach.
"I pour into the players, and I try and just be a fun part of the coaching staff," Fassel said with a smile. "I try to bring an energy to the special teams in a simplistic kind of model where they can play free.
"Th big thing for us will be to compete at the highest level in everything we do. Practice for me is a huge part of building a great special teams unit, so the little things as far as practice habits, competitiveness, one-on-ones, are important to me, and things I'll be talking to the team about. If you can produce a squad of special teams guys that really believe they are valuable, and make them feel important, then their role feels good for them, and you get a lot out of them."
