NASHVILLE — Millions of young athletes around the world dream of one day playing professional sports. But as we all know, and most of us find out the hard way, the chances of actually making it to the league are slim to none.

But once you get there, the uphill battle still is not over. Even within an NFL training camp, over 40 percent of the 90-man camp roster will get cut from the team. In 2023, over 1,100 players were waived or released prior to the league's roster cut deadline.

Making it to training camp is one thing. Making the 53 roster is an entirely different challenge.

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So as you can probably imagine, an NFL player making their first 53-man roster is usually a pretty special moment. But it doesn't' always go down like you see in the movies. 

Few players are actually able to pinpoint the moment they "got the news" because, well, no news is good news for most of those who make the cut. They sit around all day, hope they don't get a phone call, and keep showing up for work until they are told not to.

That is, at least, how things typically go. But this season, Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon wanted to give a few young players the news in person. 

Breaking the news

Carthon is a former player that is especially familiar with the whirlwind of emotions surrounding cut day. For that reason, Carthon wanted to take a moment to assure a few of Tennessee's rookies that they would be making the 53-man roster for Week 1. 

"We just thought that it was a good gesture. These guys have worked their tails off," said Carthon about telling some players in person. "As a former player, having been through it and feeling like you made the initial roster and then only to come into a meeting and find out like there's still 20 more cuts to be made, kind of drops your heart. So I understood where these guys would be, wherever they're at the hotel, or just trying to find something to do around town to pass the time."

Carthon said the meetings also came with instructions on how to stay on the 53 and encouragement to not get complacent.

"First time I've ever been called into the office for that, so I was a little nervous. There was tension in the room, but he relieved my tension but telling me I made it. It felt pretty good," said rookie safety Matthew Jackson, who played for Nashville's own Hillsboro High School back in the day.

Preseason standout Caleb Murphy was another player whose heart rate increased when he got the phone call to meet with Carthon.

"[Ran] brought me in, we had a little conversation. Obviously thats a nerve racking conversation because they typically tell you 'don't expect a phone call,'" said Murphy. "It got until like 2 p.m. and I got the phone call and I was worried a little bit. I came in, we talked, and they basically told me that I made the team."

But not every Titans player got a silver screen moment when they got the news. Colton Dowell, Otis Reese IV, and other Titans on the roster bubble had to wait all day to find out their fate.

Dowell, another local product from the Nashville area, told me that after the 3 p.m. deadline passed, he found out he made the team via Twitter. He then called his dad to let him know. "It's a first step in hopefully a long career," Dowell said.

In total, 10 rookies made the Titans' 53-man roster. Five of those players (Kearis Jackson, Matthew Jackson, Anthony Kendall, Caleb Murphy, Otis Reese IV) were undrafted free agents this spring.

Titans reveal initial 53-man roster for 2023 season

A look at the full Titans 53-man roster.