Todd Downing enters his second season with the Titans, his 20th NFL season and his 22nd season in coaching.
In Downing's first season with the team, the Titans tight ends played a key role in the offense, totaling 76 receptions and seven touchdowns as a group. Downing helped Jonnu Smith set career highs in receptions (35) and yards (439). Anthony Firkser (15 games) and MyCole Pruitt (10 starts) also saw the most extensive playing time of their careers, as Pro Bowl veteran Delanie Walker was limited to only seven total games due to injuries. The tight ends played an integral role in the Titans finishing third in the NFL in rushing offense (138.9 yards per game).
Downing joined the Titans after spending 2018 with the Minnesota Vikings as tight ends coach. In his one season with Downing, Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph posted the second highest reception (64) and yardage totals (634) of his eight-year career. Downing was initially hired as a senior offensive assistant in the spring before being named the tight ends coach near the start of training camp.
Downing served as the Raiders offensive coordinator in 2017 after spending two years as quarterbacks coach. During his Raiders tenure, he helped Derek Carr earn three consecutive Pro Bowl berths (2015-17).
In 2016, Downing helped the Raiders offense finish sixth in the NFL in total offense (373.3 yards per game) and guided Carr to a career year. Carr finished with 3,937 yards on 357-of-560 passing (63.8 percent) with 28 touchdowns, six interceptions and a passer rating of 96.7. In Week 8 against Tampa Bay, he set the franchise record with 513 passing yards in the team's overtime victory, the second time a Downing-coached quarterback surpassed 500 yards in a game (Matthew Stafford on Jan. 1, 2012).
Carr's 2016 campaign was highlighted by seven fourth quarter/overtime comeback and game-winning drives in 2016. His seven such games ranked second in the NFL in 2016 and set a new franchise single-season record. Carr also became the first quarterback in NFL history with five game-winning touchdown passes in the fourth quarter/overtime in a single season. He was named the Castrol Edge Clutch Performer of the Year.
In his first season with Oakland, Downing helped Carr post one of the most prolific passing campaigns in team history on his way to becoming the first quarterback to represent the Raiders in the Pro Bowl since 2002. For his efforts with the position group in 2015, Downing was named Pro Football Focus' Quarterbacks Coach of the Year. Raiders quarterbacks combined for the second-most passing touchdowns (34) and the third-most passing yards (4,129) in team history.
Prior to joining the Raiders, Downing coached quarterbacks for the Buffalo Bills in 2014 after previously coaching for the Detroit Lions from 2009 to 2013. Downing served as the Lions offensive quality control coach in 2009, assistant quarterbacks coach in 2010 and quarterbacks coach from 2011-13.
In Downing's three seasons as quarterbacks coach in Detroit, Stafford started all 48 games and passed for at least 4,600 yards and 20 touchdowns each year, including a 5,000-yard, 41-touchdown season in 2011, which led to the Lions' first playoff berth since 1999. Under Downing's tutelage, Stafford went on to become the franchise leader in attempts, completions and passing yards, and he ranked second in touchdowns with 109 by the end of 2013.
Before working exclusively with quarterbacks, Downing served as a defensive assistant and assistant special teams coach with the St. Louis Rams in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, he was named assistant secondary/defensive quality control coach in St. Louis.
Downing got his start in the NFL with Minnesota, where he worked as an intern and coaching assistant from 2001-02 and as a football systems analyst from 2003-04. He was named offensive quality control coach for the Vikings in 2005. He helped the Vikings achieve top-five offfensive finishes in three years (2003-05) and a playoff appearance in 2004.
Before he entered the NFL ranks, Downing began his coaching career with his high school alma mater, Eden Prairie High School, from 1999 to 2000. In 2000, he helped lead the Eagles to the Minnesota Class 5-A State Title.
Downing studied business communications at the University of Minnesota. He played quarterback for a semi-pro team, the Minnesota Maulers, from 2000-03.
Todd Downing's Coaching Timeline:
2021: Offensive Coordinator, Tennessee Titans
2019-20: Tight Ends, Tennessee Titans
2018: Tight Ends, Minnesota Vikings
2017: Offensive Coordinator, Oakland Raiders
2015-16: Quarterbacks, Oakland Raiders
2014: Quarterbacks, Buffalo Bills
2011-13: Quarterbacks, Detroit Lions
2010: Assistant Quarterbacks, Detroit Lions
2009: Offensive Quality Control, Detroit Lions
2008: Assistant Secondary/Quality Control, St. Louis Rams
2006-07: Defensive Assistant/Assistant Special Teams, St. Louis Rams
2005: Quality Control – Offense, Minnesota Vikings
2003-04: Football Systems Analyst, Minnesota Vikings
2001-02: Intern/Assistant, Minnesota Vikings
1999-2000: Assistant Coach, Eden Prairie (Minn.) High School
