The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are part of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) of the National Football League (NFL). Formerly known as the Houston Oilers, the team from Houston, Texas, began playing in 1960 as a founding member of the AFL American Football League. The Houston Oilers won two AFL championships before joining the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL merger. In 1999, the Tennessee Titans had their most memorable season since joining the NFL, when they reached Super Bowl XXXIV, but fell just short to the St.
Louis Rams, led by Kurt Warner. The Tennessee Titans have a long and storied history in the NFL. Founded as the Houston Oilers in 1959, they were one of the original eight teams that formed what is now known as the American Football League (AFL). The team moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1997 and was renamed under its current name. During their time with both Texas teams, they won two AFL championships (1960 and 1961) and one AFC championship (1999).After the game, quarterback Steve Young had a much-publicized breakdown in the locker room because he believed he could overcome his injury and left head coach Jeff Fisher, which quickly put him on injured reserve but also guaranteed his release from the team in the off-season.
During a Thursday Night Football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 14, running back Derrick Henry ran for 99 yards, tied an NFL record with Tony Dorsett, and ran for 238 yards and three more touchdowns in a 30-9 victory. The largest stadium in Nashville at that time, Vanderbilt Stadium on Vanderbilt University campus, could only seat 41,000 spectators - a capacity that was considered too small even for temporary use. This ended Fisher's tenure as head coach; a tenure that lasted more than 17 seasons (54% winning percentage), spanned three cities (Houston, Memphis and Nashville) and saw three different incarnations of the team (Houston Oilers, Tennessee Oilers and Tennessee Titans).Even though this deal was acceptable to both the NFL and the Oilers at that time, few people in Memphis or Nashville were happy about it. Fisher's first seasons at the helm were overshadowed by the team's owners' desire for Houston to build a new stadium exclusively for soccer and their subsequent move to Nashville in 1997. At that time Interstate 40 was undergoing major reconstruction in Memphis area which extended normal three-hour drive between Nashville and Memphis to five hours. Houston slowly improved over decade and after colorful coach Bum Phillips was hired in 1975 to revitalize team they returned to postseason in 1978. The Oilers played one season in Memphis and another in Nashville at Vanderbilt University football stadium before their home stadium was finished before 1999 season. The Oilers signed quarterback Warren Moon from Canadian Football League in 1984 and team soon boasted one of league's most powerful offenses also led by Hall of Fame lineman Bruce Matthews. On July 29th 1998 Adams announced that in response to fan requests he would change name of Oilers to coincide with opening of his new stadium and to better connect with Nashville.
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