‘Super Bowl ready’ – Roger Goodell tells worst team in NFL $2.2bn stadium can break cycle after seeing fired coach thrive at rival

The Tennessee Titans are edging ever closer to moving into their brand new enclosed stadium.

Nashville’s very own NFL team have officially had the stadium’s ‘Steel Topping Out’ ceremony, with them marking the completion of the building’s outer structure on Friday.

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The Titans’ New Nissan Stadium is situated on the East Bank of the Cumberland River and is just a stone’s throw away from their existing Nissan Stadium.

Having broken ground for construction on the 60,000 capacity stadium back in February 2024, it is projected that completion will be in February 2027, ahead of the 2027 NFL season later that year.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance at the Topping Out ceremony, where he was full of compliments for the Titans, and the city of Nashville.

“Listen, it’s an important franchise and a wonderful franchise for the NFL,” Goodell said.

“From the moment you had the draft and what you did to change the trajectory of the draft, you actually took the draft and made it yours, but you did it in a way that made it incredibly impactful to the future of the NFL and the Titans.

“And I think all of us at that moment had that wake-up moment that this is a Super Bowl-ready city.”

Hosting a Super Bowl nowadays requires some specific requirements, but none are perhaps as important as having a stadium that is suitable for all elements.

But after hosting the 2019 NFL draft to great success, and with record attendance numbers, it was recognized by many that Nashville is a city that is ready to host the biggest game in pro football.

“The one thing that’s missing is the stage,” Goodell added. “And I think now you’re building a great stage. We have a process, but I have every expectation that you’re going to see that type of thing in the future.”

Titans will rebuild in all facets

With Nissan Stadium set to undergo demolition following the completion of the new stadium, there are also plans to construct and renovate the surrounding area, with the NFL instilling all belief that the organization’s plans will boost the growth of the game, not just in Music City, but also offer global appeal.

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“I think it’s a celebration of this community. Ultimately, the ability to come together, to have the vision that they have for what this city can and should be, and will be,” Goodell said.

“This is a great achievement, but I think that it’s going to lead to some even greater achievements. This is just another level in the growth of this city and the impact that it’s going to have, I think, more than just nationally, but on a global basis.

“That’s a tribute to the leadership and the NFL is proud to be a part of that in a small way and support the people of this community because you deserve it.

“We [the NFL] believe in you and I think you’re starting to believe in yourself an awful lot, and you should.”

The Titans are currently a franchise that is struggling to compete with the other 31 teams in the NFL.

Despite having control of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, which they used to draft former Miami (FL) quarterback Cam Ward, the team has only been able to tally one victory through 12 weeks of the regular season.

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Getty

This ultimately led to the firing of Brian Callahan after just 23 games in charge, with senior offensive assistant Mike McCoy named interim in the mean time.

Callahan took over from Mike Vrabel who was fired after the 2023 season (6-11 record) after six seasons in charge.

In the off-season, Vrabel was hired by the New England Patriots as their head coach, taking a second-year Drake Maye under his wing under center.

Nobody could have foreseen just how well of a job he would do in his first season in the team he spent eight seasons with as a linebacker, with the Patriots boasting a 10-2 record – the best in the NFL – and Maye one of the leading candidates for the coveted MVP award.

With a new stadium, the Titans will be hoping they can break the cycle of poor form and missed playoffs, but they still have a few more years to wait before they can move in and start with a blank slate.

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