The NFL is entering the doldrums of OTAs and mandatory minicamps as we approach the month of July. Tennessee isn’t alone in the venture, as schedules have been released and training camp looms on the horizon. There is excitement in the air as new faces abound across the roster. With the NFL’s 21st-century silver anniversary campaign upon us, it’s a perfect time to determine who the best Tennessee Titans of the past 25 years are.
Tennessee Titans All-Quarter Century Offense: The Silver Anniversary
Quarterback
Steve McNair
The post-McNair era for the Titans has been dismal at the game’s most important position. Luminaries like Marcus Mariota, Jake Locker, Vince Young, and Will Levis tried and failed to live up to the standard. McNair’s legacy is so imposing that only Hall of Famer Warren Moon surpasses him in most passing categories in franchise history.
Number 9 earned three Pro Bowls and was named the 2003 co-MVP alongside the indomitable Peyton Manning. He played six impactful seasons (11 total) during the 21st century for the Titans before retiring in 2007 with the Ravens. McNair holds the franchise record for QB wins with 76. Tennessee’s first star passer threw for 27,141 yards and 156 touchdowns in an era when throwing the ball was slowly coming into vogue. No other Titans’ passer has even come close to the impact that McNair made on the city and the organization.
Running Back
Derrick Henry
What Tennessee lacks in star power at the quarterback position, they more than make up for it with their star-studded cast of running backs. The Titans boast an impressive list of current and future Hall of Famers, as well as Hall of Fame-adjacent runners in their history. Such is the storied legacy of Titans rushers that it boasts multiple Heisman Trophy winners, including Eddie George, Derrick Henry, and Earl Campbell.
While George has joined the pantheon, his time in the 21st century was marred by late-career injuries. Henry earns the nod over George, Chris Johnson, and DeMarco Murray. The King is still chugging for the Ravens after a legendary career with the Titans. He rushed for 90 touchdowns and 9,502 yards while in Nashville, which ranks first and second in team history, respectively. King Henry earned the position over the electric Johnson in a close run contest due to longevity.
Wide Receivers
Derrick Mason
Mason was drafted by the Titans/Oilers in 1997 and played the first eight seasons of his 15-year career in Tennessee. In that time frame, he was one of the best receivers in franchise history, posting 6,114 yards and 37 touchdowns on 453 receptions. He ranks in the top 10 in all three of the “Triple Crown” categories in the organization’s history. The former Michigan State star enjoyed his only two Pro Bowls as a Titan. A.J. Brown was also considered for the honor, but his career was too brief for Tennessee over Mason’s eight years.
Nate Washington
For a franchise that has given the NFL the high-flying run and shoot offense, the times have been dire for the receiver position since the turn of the century. Washington signed with the Titans after spending the first four seasons of his career with Pittsburgh. While he wasn’t a superstar receiver, he turned out to be a reliable, steady option for the passers he played with.
In six seasons with Tennessee, he posted 307 receptions for 4,591 yards and 28 touchdowns. Washington finished his Titans career in 2014 with the tenth-most receptions and eighth-most yards. He’s tied for the eighth-most receiving touchdowns (28) in franchise history with Delanie Walker.
Tight Ends
Delanie Walker
Walker entered the league as a sixth-round selection of the 49ers in the 2006 NFL Draft and served as a backup to Vernon Davis for several seasons. He joined the Titans during the 2013 offseason and truly blossomed into one of the best tight ends in the league. The tight end was a key cog in the franchise’s revitalization during the late 2010s and remains a popular figure in Nashville. He retired in 2019 after a brutal ankle injury cut short his contract extension that was signed in 2017. Walker left the organization with the eighth-most receptions (381) and ninth-most yards (4,423).
Frank Wycheck
Speaking of legendary Titans tight ends that Tennessee didn’t draft, Wycheck presents an intriguing case for being the best for his position. He ranks third all-time in franchise history with 482 receptions, and his 4,958 yards rank seventh all-time in franchise history. Wycheck was drafted by the Washington franchise in 1993 but signed with Houston in 1995.
The Titans/Oilers icon earned the last of his three Pro Bowls during the 2000 season and played only four seasons in the 21st century, but is cemented on the All-Titans Silver Anniversary team. He is best known as the author of the “Music City Miracle”, much to the chagrin of Buffalo Bills fans everywhere. Sadly, Wycheck passed away in 2023.
Offensive Tackles
Michael Roos
The Titans have been blessed with outstanding tackle play for the past thirty seasons. Roos was a key cog in that machine, taking over for Brad Hopkins, who held down the fort for 13 seasons before giving way. The ten-year standout originally started at right tackle during his rookie season in 2005, due to the presence of Hopkins. He took over on the left side in 2006 and started every game in his career. Roos retired after the 2014 season, paving the way for the next person on this list. The Eastern Washington product is an all-time Titans legend for what he accomplished while wearing the uniform.
Taylor Lewan
Lewan was a nine-year veteran who retired in 2023 to pursue a budding career in the media world. He earned three Pro Bowls during his tenure in Nashville. At the time of his contract extension, his five-year, $80 million deal was deemed the richest contract for a left tackle. The former Titans great was a stalwart on the left side, making 100 starts out of 105 games played. He played a vital role in resurrecting the storied offensive line tradition for which Tennessee is known. The media star won out over another Titans great, David Stewart.
Guards
Rodger Saffold
The former Titans guard earns the selection over several free-agent acquisitions like Quinton Spain, Andy Levitre, and Daniel Brunskill. Saffold helped shape the dominant Tennessee offensive line during the playoff runs after coming over from the Rams. While his stay in Nashville was brief, his impact was good enough to merit this choice on the Titans’ silver anniversary team. Saffold got his first of two Pro Bowl invitations as a Titan before retiring as a Bill after the 2022 season.
Nate Davis
Davis wins the spot over several players like Eugene Amano, Leroy Harris, and Fernando Velasco. The homegrown product played for the Titans from 2019 to 2022. He arrived during the heyday of the franchise under Mike Vrabel and left before the tragic downfall began in earnest. The former third-round selection occupied a spot for a franchise that once employed Hall of Famers like Mike Munchak and Bruce Matthews.
Center
Ben Jones
Jones spent the first four seasons of his career with the Titans’ rival, Houston, before signing with Tennessee in 2016. While he doesn’t have the credentials of legendary Hall of Fame center Kevin Mawae, he does have longevity of service in Nashville. It was a close call over Mawae for this spot, as the legend won two of his eight Pro Bowl selections and one of three All-Pro teams in Tennessee. Mawae is more known for his time as a New York Jet than for the team with which he finished. The former Georgia product, Jones, was part of the franchise’s revitalization before it fell apart again. Fans can debate either Jones or Mawae for this spot for eternity, and neither can be a wrong choice.
Main Image: George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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