Ryan Tannehill wants to play quarterback of the Tennessee Titans and not be the private coach to rookie Malik Willis? The nerve!
I found a lot of the reaction to Tannehill’s Tuesday comments to be over the top. Not that reasonable people can’t disagree on the fundamental issue here, but rather the drama that was created when Tannehill simply uttered the truth.
“That’s part of being in a quarterback room, in the same room. We’re competing against each other, we’re watching the same tape, we’re doing the same drills,” Tannehill said. “I don’t think it’s my job to mentor him. But if he learns from me along the way, then that’s a great thing.”
What’s the problem?
Tannehill is a capable, 33-year-old starter in the league who’s quarterbacked this Titans franchise to three consecutive postseasons. He’s had two early, disappointing exits the last two seasons, but that’s beside the point. He’s not the physically diminished, near-40-year-old who signed a one-year deal in the offseason as the veteran bridge to the future of the franchise.
He signed a four-year, $118 million deal in 2020. He’s the guy for the Titans this season, and if he wants to avoid another collapse in the playoffs like that three-interception game against the Bengals in January, he needs to focus on being the guy. If not, the Titans can easily move on before 2023 free agency and before the final year of non-guaranteed money kicks in.
Could he have handled the question better? Perhaps. Look no further than how Cam Newton handled a similar question three years ago.
But I also appreciate Tannehill’s honesty. He didn’t say anything that different from Brett Favre or Joe Flacco or others before him.
I first saw the reaction to Tannehill’s comments, and then I went back and watched the press conference. It began with questions about the optics of Tannehill spending time in Florida on a boat while the team reported to…
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