Titans rookie minicamp draws two stupid reactions from the internet, and former NFL players should know better
The Tennessee Titans had the most uneventful rookie minicamp in NFL history, yet still managed to coax the internet into ridiculous reactions.
The Tennessee Titans went viral for all the wrong reasons this weekend during their rookie minicamp under new coach Robert Saleh. But, in reality nothing actually happened.
Saleh decided to not let any of his eight draft picks, including fourth overall pick Carnell Tate, practice at all. So, really it was 50 plus players combined of undrafted free agents, rookie tryouts, and some other veteran try out members on the football field for two days doing drills. Some drills were goofier than others.
The Titans drew stupid internet reactions from two different storylines. One of them I understand can be polarizing and has justification on both sides. The other… is simply former NFL players, national media figures, and aggregation accounts biting low hanging fruit to pump their algorithms.
Robert Saleh’s polarizing decision to sit Titans draft picks from rookie minicamp practice
Saleh kicked off the two day rookie minicamp by addressing the local media, and explaining his decision to not let any of the draft picks participate in practice.
The former New York Jets head coach said it’s because he’s been on the wrong side of a coaching staff trying too hard to push draft picks into football drills after months of draft preparation that includes everything except being in real football shape.
In 2015 Saleh was on the Jacksonville Jaguars coaching staff when they saw a top 5 draft pick tear his ACL on the first drill of rookie camp. When edge rusher Dante Fowler was instantly lost for the season, Saleh knew that moment would stick with him for a while, especially when the Jags’ head coach at that time, Gus Bradley, is now the defensive coordinator in Tennessee.
Why is this polarizing?
For one, I admit that the media member / media business owner that I am is legitimately frustrated that the only views we got of Carnell Tate are big-foot type, zoomed in iPhone videos of the former Ohio State wide receiver doing leg swings in his new number and new digs.
That’s not the only gripe someone could have. I’ve softened, slightly, on my reaction being against the decision Saleh made, because I do understand the nightmare it would be if Tate, or any highly drafted rookie, had an experience Fowler did.
But, should we allow one thing that happened over decade ago make us so hesitant to let football players practice?
I’ve been to many Titans rookie minicamps over my time. Most of them go by without any conflict. The top pick goes through the motions in their new uniform, flashes some of their high-level abilities. The media gets pictures and videos for social media to gobble up. Then we move on.
I tweeted my instant take on this decision and added that I’m sure some Titans veterans aren’t thrilled with this. They all went through rookie minicamp, and most rookie camps are intended to be a gut punch. I got ratio’d HARD, but my response to those calling me out… all I’m doing is asking football players to practice football. View the replies at your own risk.
One time, there was first round pick WR Treylon Burks who had a rookie camp experience similar to the one that stuck with Saleh.
Burks was the “A.J. Brown replacement” in the 2022 NFL Draft after Jon Robinson traded Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles on draft night, shocking everyone.
The former Arkansas WR instantly struggled by being out of breath, hands on knees, helmet off, gasping for air and water… after his FIRST rep in the FIRST drill. To me, that was foreshadowing for what was to come about Burks’ Titans career.
Special teams drill causes internet to lose it’s mind over nothing
The Titans went viral because social media videos of Tyron Montgomery, an undrafted free agent wide receiver out of DIII John Carroll, was posted by Jim Wyatt, the team reporter, doing a drill that looks like he’s trying out for American Ninja Warrior.
Or as my friend Austin Huff puts it… running like Captain Jack Sparrow.
Now, that is a very funny, great way to use the internet for a funny looking drill.
However, other NFL players, former NFL players, media members, draft people, all these aggregation accounts piled on the Titans to say, ‘What the hell are they doing? Is this football? What are they trying out for? Why is this guy doing all these different hoops? Why is he catching a tennis ball at the end? What is the point of any of this?’
Everyone can calm down. It was just a special teams period. They all went through it, whether it was a linebacker, safety, cornerback, wide receiver, running back, or tight end. The big guys didn’t. They did their own thing. Offensive and defensive linemen were separate.
John “Bones” Fassel is one of the best special teams coaches in the NFL, and he had the perfect answer to look Titans local media.
When asked, Hey, what’s the point of this drill? “We just wanted to empty the equipment room and see how we can use everything in there in one drill,” Fassel joked.
Its purpose is to show what happens if you’re a gunner on special teams and you get knocked down, get up, locate your man, show how athletic you are, and compete. The Titans spent the rest of the hour and a half practice doing seven on seven, throwing routes on air, going through route concepts, and all the normal football practice things that happen.
The Titans will be back on the practice field for organized team activities with both the veterans and rookies. I can’t wait to find out what we will argue about then.