The print version of The Pacer typically covers the players, coaches and activities of UTM’s athletic teams, from football to rodeo. There’s not much content in the print or online versions of The Pacer covering the professional sports teams of UTM’s home state.
This is my attempt to keep UTM students and other curious readers up-to-speed on Tennessee’s four professional sports teams: the Memphis Grizzlies (National Basketball Association (NBA)), Tennessee Titans (National Football League (NFL)), Nashville Predators (National Hockey League (NHL)) and Nashville Soccer Club (Major League Soccer (MLS)).
Sadly, the recent outbreak of COVID-19 has paused the sports world, resulting in the cancellation of UTM’s athletic programs for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year and most professional sports leagues across the world.
I don’t have any news to report in regards to the Predators, Grizzlies and NSC, since those respective leagues have paused their seasons and may ultimately cancel their playoffs, which would be a downright tragedy. However, the Titans and the NFL have been somewhat saved from having to postpone their season, since the Super Bowl was played before COVID-19 had a significant impact on the U.S.
The Titans had an incredible run in 2019, rebounding from 2-4 after Week 6 to make it all the way to the American Football Conference (AFC) Championship, falling just short of the Super Bowl. Tennessee was revived after quarterback (QB) Marcus Mariota was benched in favor of backup Ryan Tannehill. In conjunction with eventual rushing-yard champion running back (RB) Derrick Henry and a stout defense, Tannehill led one of the greatest season turnarounds ever.
We are now in the midst of NFL Free Agency. The Titans were the talk of the town alongside of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders as being a potential landing spot for New England Patriots’ QB Tom Brady, but Tennessee decided to not take the risk on a QB who is on the wrong side of 40.
Instead of snatching Brady, the Titans decided to keep Tannehill at the helm by keeping him for another four years. As for Mariota, the Titan’s second-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Raiders picked him up, ending Mariota’s tenure in Tennessee.
Mariota’s departure leaves a bittersweet feeling. When Mariota was taken by the Titans, he was believed to be the savior of a long-struggling team. After years of hopeful but ultimately disappointing seasons, the fanbase emotionally moved on. For whatever reason, Mariota couldn’t fully realize his potential and it held the team back.
With that being said, however, Titans fans have no resentment towards their former starting QB. From what I’ve seen on social media, the fanbase wishes him luck in Las Vegas, and like myself, hope he lands into a better scheme.
Mariota just didn’t work out. This is the result of a changing coaching staff, suspect offensive line and injuries, among other factors.
Another stalwart of the Titans that won’t return to the team is five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, who was with the Titans from 2011 to the 2020 offseason. Tennessee traded Casey, now 30-years-old, to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the Draft.
While this trade was purely a salary dump, the Titans didn’t get enough back for a guy whose coming off his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl. Casey had a slight statistical downturn in 2019, recording only five sacks, 44 combined tackles (tied for lowest in his career) and five tackles for loss (lowest in his career), but he’s still a solid player that warrants more than a late round pick.
This isn’t the end of the world by any means, but Tennessee should’ve gotten a better return, or at the very least a higher draft pick.
Though losing a veteran on the defensive line, superstar running back (RB) Derrick Henry will return to the team for at least one more season. Henry was set to hit the free agent market with Tannehill this offseason, striking fear into the hearts of Titans fans. Instead of locking up the RB to a long term deal and putting the team into a tricky salary cap situation, the Titans placed the infamous franchise tag on Henry and secured his services for the immediate future.
This was a good move by the Titans. Hopefully, the team will have a bit more cap space next year to extend Henry, but at least this keeps him in Tennessee for another year and puts the Titans in a prime position to make some noise in 2020, assuming the COVID-19 fiasco ends by then.
Tennessee looks good going into next year, retaining their key positions and coaching staff. Hopefully, the Titans can break their yearly stretch of 9-7.
