NASHVILLE — When it's late in the NFL season and your team is already eliminated from playoff contention, players need to channel whatever they can to find internal motivation.

For some, it might be their love of the game and competitive nature that keeps them going. For others, it's about gaining experience and putting some good play on tape to earn the next contract or roster spot.

But for these Tennessee Titans players, their performance in Sunday's season finale would earn them millions of dollars collectively.

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WR DeAndre Hopkins – $750,000

Out of every Titans player with incentives in their contracts, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is trying to hit the benchmarks that are most attainable this weekend.

Hopkins' initial free agent contract with the Titans was a two-year deal worth $26 million and up to $32 million after incentives. The 31-year-old wide out could earn $3 million in the 2023 and 2024 season by hitting statistical markers on catches, yards, and receiving touchdowns.

So far this season, Hopkins has already cashed in on $1.5 million dollars of his $3 million in incentives with 68 catches, 1011 receiving yards, and six touchdowns.

Should Hopkins finish the year with 75 or more receptions, he earns an additional 250k. Should he finish with more than 1,050 receiving yards, he would earn another 250k. Same thing goes for scoring eight or more touchdowns. $250,000 in the bank.

In Sunday's season finale, Hopkins can earn an additional $750,000 and bring his total incentive earnings for the year to $2.25 million if he has 7 catches, 39 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.

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RB Derrick Henry – $500,000

Titans running back Derrick Henry receives a bonus of $500,000 every time he surpasses 1,300 rushing yards for a season. Henry cashed in on that in 2020 and 2022. 

But this season, it's not looking like The King is going to be getting a big pay day from incentives. Henry has 1,014 rushing yards this season and would need 286 yards in Sunday's game against the Jaguars to hit his target.

Had Henry not been held to just nine rushing yards against the Houston Texans in Week 15, this might be much more attainable…But 286 isn't going to happen.

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OLB Arden Key – $1 million

Outside linebacker Arden Key signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Titans this past offseason. The deal also included $1 million in contract incentives for each of the three seasons (2023, 2024 and 2025). That's $3 million on total incentives if Key hit all of his statistical markers. 

For recording 8-8.5 sacks in a season, Key earns $500,000. That amount increases to $750,000 for 9-9.5 sacks in a year and $1 million for 10+ sacks.

Key currently has six sacks this season, which means he will need to record two sacks this weekend to get half a million dollars. Not impossible, but definitely easier said than done. It would certainly be an easier task if Key had been awarded his strip sack of Derek Carr in Week 1 and was currently sitting with seven sacks.

Instead the play was called an incomplete pass. That may end up costing Key a big chunk of change.

After signing with the Titans, Key let it be known that he was excited to play the Jaguars (his former team) twice a year in the AFC South. The former LSU Tigers defender felt disrespected by Jacksonville in free agency last Spring. As if he wasn't already motivated to get revenge on his former squad and keep them out of the NFL playoff, Key also has a financial incentive to get after the quarterback on Sunday.

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OT Andre Dillard – $2 million

Believe it or not, offensive tackle Andre Dillard was given $6 million in total incentives on his initial three-year, $29 million contract with the Tennessee Titans. Somehow that signing just keeps looking worse.

Unlike Hopkins, Henry, or Key, Dillard's contract incentives were more based on availability than individual statistics. Because of Dillard's injury history with the Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee worked it into his contract that Dillard would be rewarded for snaps played on the 2023 season.

The $6 million in total incentives were split evenly of his three-year deal, allowing him to earn up to $2 million every season for just staying healthy.

By playing 60-69% of the Titans’ total offensive snaps, Dillard would earn $500,000. That number would jump to $1 million for play 70-79% of offensive snaps. For 80-89%, Dillard would get $1.5 million, and he'd earn the full $2 million for playing over 90% of the team's snaps.

Luckily for the Titans, Dillard has currently only played 51.06% of offensive snaps this season and it's no longer possible for him to cash in. Tennessee benching Dillard earlier in the season for performance issues will end up saving them some good money.

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