Update on Ryan Tannehill's status for the rest of the Titans' season
The latest update on Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is more positive than expected. After details of Tannehill's ankle injury, surgery, and status were released late on Friday night, it seems possible that Tannehill could still play football this season. Adam Schefter of ESPN released a report on Friday night that confirmed suspicion of Tannehill's […]
The latest update on Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is more positive than expected. After details of Tannehill's ankle injury, surgery, and status were released late on Friday night, it seems possible that Tannehill could still play football this season.
Adam Schefter of ESPN released a report on Friday night that confirmed suspicion of Tannehill's ankle needing surgery. With just three games to go and Tennessee's playoff hopes in jeopardy, that would presumably end his season. But NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport seems to believe a different story.
According to Rapoport, Tannehill traveled to Birmingham, Alabama earlier this week to "undergo a tightrope surgical procedure on his injured ankle" from Dr. Norman Waldrop at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Center with hopes of returning to play by Week 18.
That Week 18 game in Jacksonville will almost certainly be for the AFC South title with the winner hosting a playoff game the following week. As bad as things have been for the Titans over their recent four-game losing skid, a win on January 8th would send them to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. That remains the target for Tannehill's return, hence why the Titans have chosen not to place him on Injured Reserve.
Three weeks is usually viewed as a speedy recovery from this procedure. Even then, that may not be enough time for Tannehill to suit up in Jacksonville. The ideal recovery for Tannehill would have to look more like the recovery for Tua Tagovailoa when he was at Alabama in 2018 and returned to practice 13 days after the same procedure.
Malik Willis will take the reins for the Titans' offense on Saturday against the Texans with Joshua Dobbs serving as the backup after being signed to the team's active roster earlier this week. If Willis does wind up starting in Jacksonville and can lead the Titans to a playoff spot, Tannehill is more likely to be available Wild Card weekend.
That's really good news for Titans fans all things considered.
Image via George Walker IV / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
