Avast, you swine! It has come at last: a task less thorough than building an all-time Titans roster, but a truer indication of who has truly claimed the biggest part of my fragile heart, aka WHO'S MAI BISHI!
And despite the brevity of its assembly, I can assure you that it was in no way easy. Trimming it down to twenty was a definite task, while shuffling those twenty around took even longer. My memory of players from long ago is starting to become fuzzy... can I really objectively rank them now, after all these years? Am I just basing these rankings on how fond I am of them at present? Will there ever be a rainbow?
Read on, and find out for yourself!
Honorable mentions: WR Nate Washington (2009-present), C Kevin Mawae (2006-2009), DT Albert Haynesworth (2002-2008)
#20 K Rob Bironas (2005-2013)
Original Tony's Titan entry, 2011: Come on. It's a gimme. The only other kickers I've known for this franchise were Joe Nedney, who was on his way out by the time I'd arrived, and Gary Anderson.
Gary Anderson was indeed one of the greatest kickers of all time, but nowhere near as prolific for the Titans. He does however nab the unlisted second place position for one okay year with us, plus his Randy Moss-like mystique.
I've been a Bironas backer for a while now. I'm pleased as punch with him as our kicker, and the only time I wasn't pulling for him was when he was fighting for a roster spot. My money was on Ola Kimrin, the Swede who technically owns the record for longest ever field goal, a 65-yard bomb in a preseason game.
Bironas beat Kimrin out in camp, and though I felt sad to see the possibly record-setting kicking of Kimrin depart, what I got in return was one of the league's very best, who has himself made the record books.
Though statistics often don't show the whole story, Bironas' almost certainly do. Nearly 86% success rate, a game-winning long of 60 (against the Colts!!), and the most field goals in a single game. Eight. I mean, come on!
That last one might be one of the most futile records to hold (along with most punts, or most turnovers against), but it's ours dammit, and we have Rob to thank, along with our anaemic offense.
#19 DT Tony Brown (2006-2010)
Should Fairley end up a Titan, is Brown the odd one out, with the younger and more imposing Jones getting the nod in the middle, alongside Derrick Morgan and Jason Babin on the outside? I hope not. But somebody's gotta lose their starting job there.
It's just fortunate that the Titans are known for rotating in the defensive trenches. For that reason, we've gotten to see Dave Ball leap gloriously like a turkey and Sen'Derrick Marks make as much of an impact as a particularly gooey sneeze directed at the opponent.
#18 TE Frank Wycheck (1995-2003)
At long last, I have been able to rectify what has been among my most cockamamie set of rankings (still got nothing on safety, though) by adding one of the premiere Titans players to my arsenal. Frankly (ho ho!), Wycheck did it all for the Titans as a dependable receiver and a locker room leader. Most importantly, he was crucial in the developmental process of Steve McNair as a release valve in the passing game, as well as a nifty blocker when McNair decided to run it himself. His lateral pass pictured at the header remains one of the few times we as Titans fans have ever felt like magic could happen, and is still one of the greatest NFL moments of all time.
#17 FS Marcus Robertson (1991-2000)
Robertson was a fine safety for a long time, roaming the defensive backfield and nabbing errant throws from the opponents. No offence to Anthony Dorsett, but Robertson's dependable skills were definitely missed in Super Bowl XXXIV - could his extra oomph have led to a Titans victory? I'd rather not think about it, honestly.
#16 T Michael Roos (2005-present)
Projected as a late third-rounder, Roos came out of Eastern Washington with very little fanfare. I don't know if the reaction from Titans fans was more rampant than my own apathy, but he was an early second round selection, and no doubt raised some eyebrows in how early he came off the board.
Roos was immediately plugged in at right tackle, and has been a starter ever since. The dude is just solid. He's the anchor of this line, and, one of my favourite qualities, he's quiet. I love Stewart's in your face aggression, but I'm glad to see that the franchise left tackle has virtually no ego. I don't know if I've ever even heard him speak a word.
What a fantastic pair of tackles to come out of that '05 draft. Titans shored up their bookends for years.
#15 CB Alterraun Verner (2010-2013)
The result of a fourth round pick we got for sending LenDale White and Kevin Vickerson to Seattle, Verner the burner was thrust into action far earlier than expected due to injuries decimating the secondary.
For his part, he did admirably, providing some excellent highlight reel moments. Of course, the pinnacle was an interception against the Cowboys that he nearly took in for a touchdown.
The other aspect that makes me a Verner fan, as aforementioned, is how cool the dude is. He's humble, hard-working, and by far, the most interactive Titan I have ever seen. He answers pretty much any questions fans send his way, and writes articles mid-season, reflecting on games and his performance. Frankly, he's just the kind of guy you want to succeed. He's everything as a person that Pacman Jones wasn't, and we love him for it.
Will he ascend to a full-time starting role? He nabbed time in the slot from Vincent Fuller last year, though I personally believe that Fuller is possibly the most consistent and underrated member of our defence, and Verner should only get better.
We tend to have a rookie cornerback we fall in love with every year. In the case of Cortland Finnegan, it turns out well. In the case of Reynaldo Hill, oopsie.
#14 DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (2005-2009)
Other than another 12-sack performance in '07, KVB never saw the kind of success he had in year one, but his presence was clear to anyone. The dude just flat-out balled, constantly. He became known for his impressive motor, and seemed to always give 110% on any down. He allowed fat Al to dominate in the middle, and vice versa. It was a happy time, until Haynesworth gobbled up a contract as big as his belly, and KVB later sailed off to Detroit.
Me personally, I wouldn't ever want to be a Detroit Lion. A decade of futility in the most dangerous city in America? Why do you think Barry Sanders was so good at running away from people?
#13 CB Cortland Finnegan (2006-2011)
The product of small school Samford and a seventh-round pick, Finnegan brings intensity and tenacity on every play. Like many fans, I generally prefer a thumper to a finesse guy (see: George > Johnson), so Finnegan's play style is right up my alley. Teams hate playing against him, and in his career, he's quickly ascended to the league's top defensive backs, albeit with a year or two of setbacks.
Is he dirty? Oh yeah, probably. Does he get burned sometimes, targeted for his attitude, and flagged for dumb penalties? You know it. But does he bring everything he's got on every down, causing frustration and vexation for his opponent? Hell yes.
And frankly, if Finnegan needs to be a jerk on the field in order to maintain his high level of play, then I definitely say he should keep it up. We've seen enough players come and go who lack attitude, Finnegan is a breath of fresh air who might never change, and probably shouldn't.
Plus, off the field, he's another anti-Pacman. Always a winning quality!
#12 G Benji Olson (1998-2007)
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In today's age of free agency, players jump ship more often than a pirate on a pogo stick, but back then, the Tennessee Titans stuck together.
Anyhow, it's difficult to keep tabs of offensive linemen over the years when you hardly get to see any games (two Raiders games a year is a certainty in Australia, but beyond that, any other team is a crap shoot), but dude, Olson was my boy in Madden, opening up those holes for Chris Brown. Most of my big runs were off to the right, I owe my YPC average to the hard work of the digital Olson. Good on him.
#11 P Craig Hentrich (1998-2009)
As the faces around him changed, Hentrich just kept coming into work and doing his job. And he did his job well, hence sticking around with the Titans for a very long time. Meanwhile, Green Bay have struggled to replace him ever since they cut him all those years ago.
It's unfortunate how being a punter basically encapsulates the failure of your team. He's like a bright pink inflatable life jacket. You're embarrassed that you have to rely on him, but he's there to save your life when you would have otherwise drowned. So unless your name is Brian Moorman, people aren't usually happy to see you take the field.
I've already expressed my discontent for the apathy directed towards punters, but I love 'em. I would have been happy to wear a Craig Hentrich jersey, if it didn't suggest feelings of futility about the rest of the roster.
I'm immensely happy that Hentrich was able to take home a Super Bowl ring (back with the Pack), and I was sad to see him go, but Brett Kern has picked up the slack, and I look forward to a decade of service with him. And possibly some fake plays by A.J. Trapasso in the preseason. Seriously, that was awesome.
#10 SS Blaine Bishop (1993-2001)
On a related note, Bernard Pollard reminds me of Bishop in many ways, and I love that. A true throwback to how defenders are supposed to play. The multiple flags Pollard gets for pithy calls are embarrassing, and I'm sure Blaine has yelled at his TV more than a few times, too. And then tackled it. Because that's what he did.
#9 CB Samari Rolle (1998-2004)
The dude was as close to a lock down corner as I've seen on this team; fast, athletic and smart. He was one half of the heartbreaking '05 offseason purge with Derrick Mason, and honestly, when the Ravens made a playoff push in 2006, I have to admit that I was hoping for them to win it all.
After all, if my Titans couldn't qualify for the post-season, why shouldn't I cheer for three of the most beloved pieces of my past in Rolle, Mason and Steve McNair? Especially when you consider the end result: a Colts victory in Super Bowl XLI.
Tragic ending, and Rolle's deteriorating health finally took him out of action after the 2009 season. To his credit, cornerback is definitely a young man's position, and he was able to play in a starting role for ten seasons, eleven years and 148 games in total.
It's certainly more games than I could have played, and I'm twelve years younger than him. Damn side more picks than I would have managed, as well, though I figure I could grab at least three if I was playing Rex Grossman. Just a thought.
#8 WR Derrick Mason (1997-2004)
This one is a lot harder to swallow than others, because while some others on the list (McNair, George, Bennett, etc.) had seen their best years with the Titans before their careers came to an end elsewhere, Mason has been a Raven for six seasons, and shows few signs of slowing down.
All the things that made Mason a good return guy (quickness, elusiveness, field vision) have made him an excellent receiver, and moreover, have allowed him to have a prolonged career.
When him and Samari Rolle jumped ship to the Ravens, I was in dismay. And frankly, that dismay has not at all dissipated in relation to Mason, because he's been gone for so long, so entrenched in Baltimore, and had so many episodes while playing Tennessee that he's really not a Titan anymore.
But he was. I still wish him all the best while simultaneously wishing bad fortune upon the Ravens. Would I like to see him win a championship? Sure, just as long as it isn't with the Ravens, Colts, Jaguars, Texans or Steelers. That's plenty of options, D-Mase. It's an excellent deal!
#7 DE Jevon Kearse (1999-2003, 2008-2009)
Essentially, these Kearses can be divided as the original '99 version, and the later model, whose play took a tailspin somewhere around 2006. For this reason, a great many, and I myself at one point, would probably have given serious consideration for KVB as #1 Titans defensive end. After all, KVB was less physically blessed, instead relying on tenacity to get to the QB. He had much more heart and soul than Kearse, or a great many other players to have come and gone.
But The Freak? The guy who averaged 12 sacks across his first three seasons? He was something else, man. KVB may have been one of the best defensive ends of the last nine years in Tennessee, but Kearse in his prime, in his short, intense span of glory, he looked like one of the best of all time.
Even though he was over the hill in '08, I was glad to have him back on board for that short period. It felt right, and I celebrated each sack he collected back in Titans blue. The way his career tailed off wasn't right, but finishing it off with the franchise where he once dominated, that did feel right.
There are many other defensive ends out there who have produced Kearse-like numbers for longer; why, look no further than division rival Dwight Freeney, a thorn in our side for nine seasons who has gathered 94 sacks.
...But you ask me, which end do I choose for the championship game? I'll take Kearse in his prime for damn sure, and watch him wreak havoc.
#6 T Brad Hopkins (1993-2005)
Hopkins was one of the last pieces of the Houston Oiler franchise in Tennessee, and I'm happy to have seen him retire right here, where he belonged. Though others may have moved on elsewhere, the one with the longest tenure at the time was able to complete his career as a Titan. Just like Mike Munchak. Just like Bruce Matthews. Just like an Oilers lineman should.
#5 WR Drew Bennett (2001-2006)
I loved the one-two punch of Mason and Bennett. Perhaps it's a starry-eyed adoration for the Titans of old, but Bennett will solidly, stubbornly hold onto #2 on my list for quite some time. I mean, Britt could potentially threaten with a monster season (as could my boy Lavelle!), but Bennett was there during our glory years, doing his bit.
And of course, who can forget 2004? During a horrible year followed by a horrible off-season, Billy Volek and Drew Bennett appeared to be the only two guys who still cared. Bennett's 80 catches, 1,247 yards and 11 TDs were the kind of numbers you'd expect form the league's very best, plus tying an NFL record with 8 TDs in 3 games.
Afterwards, Bennett never seemed to recapture that glory, having risen to the top spot. Whether he was ill-suited to the #1 receiver spot, or he suffered from the unfortunate fate of playing across from a trio of rookies, making him targeted by defences, it wasn't the same.
He played two years for the Rams, shortened by injury, and then signed with the Ravens before deciding to pack it all in.
But Bennett's rise could be called grand considering where he started. Undrafted out of UCLA, Bennett actually had to cheat a little to get noticed. He would cut in line during drills as a rookie, so that he would go up against the top defenders on the depth chart instead of the scrubs at the bottom. I mean, jeez, how inspiring is that? That he put it all on the line by bending the rules, just to make a roster spot, and it led to a pinnacle of tying an NFL record?
#4 OLB Keith Bulluck (2000-2009)
In overall rankings, he's somewhere behind McNair and George in the murky bronze medal competition. Because clearly, he was simply one of the Titans' finest defenders, a stalwart at linebacker and a leader on defence.
When Cortland Finnegan was jawing off, it was Bulluck who smacked him in the helmet and got him back into focus. When the Titans were suffering a heart-breaking, gut-wrenching 0-59 loss to New England, it was Bulluck who was the only one still giving a damn. When the Titans appeared in primetime on Monday Night Football in New Orleans, it was Bulluck who snatched three interceptions to earn the nickname 'Mr. Monday Night' (though I don't think that one ever stuck).
Actually, one of the things I found most shocking while doing all this was finding out that, for all of Bulluck's interceptions, he's only ever returned one for a touchdown. And funnily enough, it was only from eight yards out against the Cowboys in his rookie season. Ancient history.
Anyhow, while some of my other favourite players will disappear into the annals of history as time goes by, Bulluck's reputation as one of the Titans' best ever defenders should remain solidly for years to come. He deserved more accolades than he ever got, a victim of a small-market team, but he just went out and performed, consistently, for a decade.
For that, we salute you, Bulluck, and shall always recall with fondness your energy, your heart, and your pimpin' red gloves.
#3 OL Bruce Matthews (1983-2001)
Bruce was consistently amazing, and amazingly consistent, an iron man on the o-line who excelled at any position. Bruce was not only the clear-cut #1 at guard, but head and shoulders above Mawae at centre - and maybe, just maybe, could push my man Hoppy at tackle.
#2 RB Eddie George (1996-2003)
When I think of McNair highlights, I feel euphoric. Eddie George highlights however, they get me fired up, even after all these years. George punished defenders, just absolutely nailed them, and if someone felt froggy before the game, all it took was a few bruising runs by George to change their tune.
Not only was it hard to tackle George to the ground, but frankly, after he had plowed through you a few times, you really wouldn't want to. Broken tackles, broken arms, broken spirits, he did them all. And for all the damage he did to opposing psyches, he was just as effective in rallying his own team.
He was the perfect complement to McNair; while the QB was quiet and stoic, George knew how to get his team pumped. The fact that they both threw their bodies on the line and played their hearts out made you just as likely to follow either of their leads, but like I said, thinking of Eddie George runs, it still makes me pumped up, despite never having been there, never having met him, or never having played a damned down in the NFL.
Frankly, I wish he was still on the roster. If Tiki Barber can mount a comeback, then Eddie certainly can too. I don't care what the capacity is; short yardage, pass protection, redzone offence, just get Eddie in the game, on the field, and over opponents. Apparently he's still in magnificent shape, and who wouldn't want to watch him slam Ray Lewis into the turf, then get all up in his face (and do it all with a separated shoulder) just one more time?
Fingers crossed that Eddie sees all of the other old Oilers joining Tennessee's staff and at least makes the jump to coaching. Eddie on the sideline with Bruce Matthews, running onto the field after a Super Bowl win? Oh good lord, it excites me even more than thinking of any of our players celebrating.
On a final note, Eddie's wife is Tamara Johnson-George, formerly of SWV. I loves me some SWV; Weak is the third-most played song on my iPod, listened to 136 times (and counting!)
#1 QB Steve McNair (1995-2005)
In the same way that seeing Warren Sapp dominate en route to the Super Bowl in '02 made me a football fan, watching Steve McNair play made me a Titans fan. In the early days I had leaned towards the Raiders or the Bears, but Mac9 ushered me into Tennessee fandom, and every quarterback who has come since or is yet to come will always have to live up not only to McNair's performance, but to his qualities.
Whether he had a chunk of flesh hanging from his thumb, or defenders draped over him on every snap, McNair would play on. He was a true throwback to QBs of old; men of true grit and bravery who would put their bodies on the line to claim a victory. I don't doubt that, had football still been a two-way game, McNair would have been more than happy to line up on defence or kick field goals as well.
He was a man of quiet confidence, and it was beautiful: a good old country boy who worked his ass off to get to where he was, and never lost the things that made him who he was. He was a genuine man, the kind who you'd want to win for, but who would more often than not end up winning for you.
Someday I hope to track down all of the McNair seasons that I missed. There's seven years of gametime that I wasn't privy to, and of the few games I've seen from those days, it's clear to me: I want to see more. I have to see more.
He never won a Super Bowl. His statistics are robust, but not stellar. As time goes by, his intangibles: the way he put the team on his shoulders, fought for everything through any injury, and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat... Will they be remembered? Or will he become merely a memory of his stats: 3x Pro Bowler, 1x All-Pro, 1x Co-MVP?
Though these are good things, these are not the things that made up Steve McNair. The way he would shed tacklers to complete a first down pass, how he would shrug off a seemingly devastating injury to return to action, and how he would let his actions speak louder than his words... These were the things that made Steve McNair the football player that he was.
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