Latest news with #TennesseeTitans
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Watch: Tennessee Titans rookies take on Nashville Hot Chicken challenge
Watch: Tennessee Titans rookies take on Nashville Hot Chicken challenge With the NFL being in the midst of the dead period between the offseason workout program and training camp, this is a time when rookies and new acquisitions can become familiar with their new cities. For the new faces of the Tennessee Titans, Nashville is an incredible city full of nightlife and delicious food, and of course, Nashville Hot Chicken. The origins of this tasty cuisine are shrouded in betrayal and revenge, yet the spicy delicacy has become famous worldwide and is now, like a meat and three, a must-have when visiting the city. Recently, Hattie B's in Nashville welcomed some new faces and hosted some rookies for a hot chicken challenge. Were these young players up for the challenge? Watch and see. Being cheered on by Cam Ward, Xavier Restrepo, and a chorus of other rookies, Femi Oladejo and David Gbenda took part in the battle, diving into the fiery mixture of peppers and seasoning. Oladejo ultimately pulled out the victory after eating 16 wings, but Gbenda held his own with a respectable 15. While not a traditional football activity, these rookies hanging out and growing together off the field is an excellent sign for the future of the Titans. Even in this hot chicken challenge, the competitive nature of this class comes across loud and clear, speaking volumes about the cultural change being undertaken by the organization this offseason.
USA Today
6 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Tennessee Titans' $92 million star dubbed team's Offensive Player of the Year candidate
Tennessee Titans' $92 million star dubbed team's Offensive Player of the Year candidate The Tennessee Titans dumped a massive contract onto Calvin Ridley in free agency in hopes he could lead the wide receiver room into the future. After securing a $92 million deal across four years last offseason, Ridley recorded 63 receptions for 1,017 yards and four touchdowns. That's not exactly the type of production a team would want from the 15th-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. Even so, Ridley showed some promise during the second half of the season, and considering what he was working with at the quarterback position, there's still some hope that the 30-year-old can put together solid No. 1 numbers. When looking at the top Offensive Player of the Year award candidates from each team, Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network landed on Ridley for the Titans. It would admittedly be surprising if a Tennessee Titans player won Offensive Player of the Year in 2025. That said, their best candidate technically has to be their top skill position player. Calvin Ridley has quietly put together consecutive 1,000-yard seasons since his reinstatement into the NFL. He figures to be the Titans' top pass catcher again in 2025, this time with No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward throwing him the ball. No one should be putting their money on the award going to a player from the Titans offense. Not only is it incredibly difficult for a wide receiver to win the award, but the Titans' offense was one of the worst units in the NFL last season. It took Ridley a while to get going during the first half of the 2024 season in Nashville. During the first six games of the season, Ridley averaged just 30.5 receiving yards per game and had three separate games with fewer than 10 receiving yards. From Week 8 on, however, he averaged 75.8 yards per game — a pace of 1,288 receiving yards in a 17-game season. Those numbers wouldn't win Ridley the prestigious award, but it goes to show that with some consistent play at quarterback, the Titans could get their money's worth out of their top wideout.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Titans' Chimere Dike lands on preseason All-Rookie team
Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi knew what he was doing when he selected wide receiver Chimere Dike out of Florida in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft. It was partially to add a young receiver who could develop a long-lasting bond with newly drafted rookie quarterback Cam Ward. The idea is that they will be the duo of the future in Nashville. But before that can happen, both Dike and Ward have to acclimate to the league, and that means different things for each player. For Dike, it likely means a lesser role as a receiver and a larger role as a return specialist, something he did in college. In conjunction with the hiring of John Fassel this offseason, Dike has a bright future on special teams, which is likely why selected him for their All-Rookie team as a return man. Drafted: Round 4, No. 103 overall Tennessee hired venerable special teams coordinator John Fassel this offseason. Under Fassel's tutelage over the last three years in Dallas, KaVontae Turpin emerged as one of the league's most dangerous returners, making the Pro Bowl twice and earning first-team All-Pro honors this past season. Dike brings extensive college experience as a kick and punt returner. Not to mention, he blazed the 40-yard dash in 4.34 seconds. Oh, and here's a fun note of debatable relevance: Dike's No. 2 comp on MockDraftable is a man by the name of Devin Hester. Advertisement Over four years between Wisconsin and Florida, Dike returned 29 punts for 295 yards (an average of over 10 yards per return). He also returned 22 kicks for 472 yards (over 22 yards per return) over three years in Wisconsin. He has the experience to be a very good return man in the NFL, and if the Devin Hester comparison is accurate, the Titans just found themselves a wild card. Because while Dike will excel on special teams, he will also excel as a receiver and eventually be a starter. Between Fassel and Dike, the Titans may have answered their special teams woes. This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans' Chimere Dike lands on preseason All-Rookie team as specialist
USA Today
16 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Analyst tabs Tennessee Titans' Treylon Burks as a bust candidate
Analyst tabs Tennessee Titans' Treylon Burks as a bust candidate One of the best stories to come out of Phase 3 of the Tennessee Titans' OTAs was the return of wide receiver Treylon Burks to the field in a limited capacity. Burks, who is recovering from an ACL injury that cost him most of the 2024 season, was not expected back until the start of the regular season. However, he did return to the field for positional drills over the last three weeks of practice. Although he was unable to participate in team drills, this was an essential step in his recovery process. Burks' struggles in Nashville have been well documented, so it's no surprise Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports mentioned his name in his article featuring nine potential first-round busts heading into the 2025 season. After being selected No. 18 in the 2022 NFL draft, Burks has been plagued by bad luck and has not been able to live up to the expectations that were set by his selection. Treylon Burks - Tennessee Titans The minute the Tennessee Titans made Burks their first-round pick, the Arkansas product faced unfair expectations, literally entering with the selection acquired in the club's trade of star wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles. Things have only gone downhill since then, with Burks missing a combined 25 games due to various injuries, including a torn ACL, over his first three seasons. His best bet for 2025 is quietly building chemistry with new quarterback Cam Ward as the team's No. 3 pass catcher. Why he will bust: There's hardly a role for him anymore, with Tyler Lockett added as a Calvin Ridley complement. Why he won't: Both Ridley and Lockett are over 30, and Ward could be a major upgrade distributing the rock. Our prediction: Will bust Burks faces an uphill climb heading into training camp. Not only did the Titans add significant competition to the wide receiver room, but he is still rehabbing his ACL injury and has not been cleared for team activities. A physical receiver, Burks does have a skill set that could still allow him to carve out a role if he is healthy. Unfortunately, his health and injury history have hindered his development since the Titans drafted him. Will he be on the roster at the start of the 2025 NFL season? No one can tell at this point, but Brian Callahan and the Titans' staff will give him every opportunity IF he is healthy.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Levels Of Expectations For Cam Ward
Levels Of Expectations For Cam Ward originally appeared on Athlon Sports. What is quarterback Cam Ward going to do? Many have had that question when it comes to Ward ever since he was drafted first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. Advertisement One person who has very high expectations for Ward in his first year is Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd. He spoke very highly of Ward on his show, "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," and even said, "Ward changes outcomes," and "Tennessee will be a playoff team." Those are lofty expectations to put on a rookie quarterback. That's not to say Cam Ward isn't capable, but more to say that it's a lot of things to put on his plate. Warren Moon, a Hall of Fame quarterback, has a different perspective when it comes to Ward and expectations. "In order for you to do well, you have to depend on other people doing their jobs for you as far as the offensive line getting protection, having a running game that takes some of the pressure off of you so you don't have to throw the ball every down and then a good defense being able to get you the football back, getting turnovers and getting you good field position," Moon said on the "Touring The AFC South" podcast. "All those things go along with helping out a young quarterback to do well." Moon points out that the surroundings will be the thing to bring out some of the better results for Ward's rookie season. While Ward may be a special quarterback and able to cover up some things, it would be better for him to have a stable cast around him to allow him to mature, get comfortable and be the best version of himself on the field. Advertisement How the cast around him plays is a question mark at this point, but the Titans went out and added some pieces offensively to try and set him up for success. Now, the question is how those pieces perform. All of these things tie together to the success of Ward and the Titans this season. Related: Titans Trade Pitch Uses Treylon Burks to Land Disgruntled All-Pro WR This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
