A Basic History of the Tennessee Titans Football Team

The Tennessee Titans are a professional football team that plays in the National Football League. The Titans play in the South Division of the American Football Conference.

The franchise was founded in 1960 when the Houston Oilers began playing in the Eastern Division of the American Football League. The Oilers played in that division through the 1969 season.

Following the AFL-NFL merger, the Houston Oilers began playing in the Central Division of the American Football Conference.

Following the 1996 season, the franchise moved from Houston to Tennessee, becoming the Tennessee Oilers. The name Oilers only lasted two seasons in Tennessee before the franchise changed its name to the Tennessee Titans.

Through the move and name change, the franchise continued to play in the AFC Central until 2001. Starting in the 2002 season, the Titans began playing in the AFC South as part of the NFL's division realignment.

In franchise history, the team has won eight Division Championships. While in Houston, the team won four AFL East titles in 1960, 1961, 1962, and 1967, as well as two AFC Central titles in 1991 and 1993. As the Tennessee Titans, the franchise won another AFC Central title in 2000 and one AFC South title in 2002.

The franchise's only Conference Championship came in the first year as the Tennessee Titans when the Titans won the AFC Championship, earning them a spot in the Super Bowl, in which they lost to the St. Louis Rams.

The franchise won its only two League Championships back-to-back in 1960 and 1961, in the first two years of existence of the Houston Oilers. Both titles were AFL Championships.

While in Houston, the Oilers played its home games in Jeppesen Stadium from 1960-1964, in Rice Stadium from 1965-1967, and in the Houston Astrodome from 1968-1996.

After moving to Tennessee, the team played the 1997 season in Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and the 1998 season in Vanderbilt Stadium.

In 1999, the year the team changed its name to the Tennessee Titans, they began playing in their current location, LP Field.

Seven former members of the franchise are currently enshrined in the National Football Hall of Fame. They are Elvin Bethea, George Blanda, Earl Campbell, Ken Houston, Bruce Matthews, Mike Munchak, and Warren Moon. Matthews is the only one to have played with the franchise in Tennessee.

The players whose jersey numbers have been retired by the franchise are Warren Moon - 1, Earl Campbell - 34, Jim Norton - 43, Mike Munchak - 63, Elvin Bethea - 65, and Bruce Matthews - 74.

The current owner of the Tennessee Titans is Bud Adams. Jeff Fisher is the head coach, and Mike Reinfeldt is the general manager.

The official colors of the Tennessee Titans are navy, titan blue, white, and red. The team's mascot is named T-Rac.