Latest news with #TyjaeSpears
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5 days ago
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- Yahoo
The biggest surprise from Titans' first unofficial depth chart of 2025 NFL season
The post The biggest surprise from Titans' first unofficial depth chart of 2025 NFL season appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Tennessee Titans released their initial 2025 unofficial depth chart one week ahead of their first preseason game. While most of the listings were expected, the Titans' raised some eyebrows with their placement of running backs Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears and Kalel Mullings. The backfield did not change much over the offseason, with Mullings joining the group in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Pollard, who led the team with 1,079 rushing yards in 2024, unsurprisingly returned as the starter, with Spears expected to be a 1B to his 1A. The two began the 2024 season as co-starters on the depth chart, but Pollard separated himself in his first year with the team. Despite Pollard's emergence, head coach Brian Callahan teased the same idea he composed in 2024. Callahan said that he views Pollard and Spears on a similar plane, suggesting the two would be listed as co-starters on the depth chart again. The overall numbers might suggest that those are simply empty words, but there was some credence to that claim late in the year. Pollard dominated the backfield for most of the season, but Spears closed the gap down the stretch. Once Spears returned from a hamstring injury in Week 9, the backfield became a near-even split for the rest of the season. Spears played over 40 percent of the offensive snaps in five of his final seven games, including two games — Weeks 14 and 15 — during which he spent more time on the field than Pollard. Everything about Tennessee's running back room suggested that Spears caught up to Pollard, and Callahan finally had the two-headed backfield that he has been proposing for over a year. Yet, that is not what the Titans' first unofficial 2025 depth chart depicted. Titans surprisingly list Tyjae Spears on par with Kalel Mullings The Titans listing Tony Pollard as their starting running back on their first 2025 depth chart shocked no one. However, whether fans expected to see Tyjae Spears as a co-RB1 or not, nobody predicted that he would be listed on even ground as rookie Kalel Mullings. Spears and Mullings were both listed as second-stringers, with Julius Chestnut, Jordan Mims and Jermar Jefferson all on the third team. Entering the draft off a fantastic end to his college career at Michigan, Mullings was an excellent value pick for Tennessee. His bulky frame as a former linebacker immediately made him the frontrunner to be the Titans' short-yardage back in 2025, a role they did not have filled in 2024. Most fans still expected Mullings to begin his career competing with Chestnut for the third-string role, and not on par with either Pollard or Spears. The Titans' 2024 backfield was very much a two-man crew. Pollard accounted for 58 percent of the team's total rushing production, but Spears' strong end to the season set the table for what should be an intriguing tandem in 2025. Pollard and Spears were supposed to be on a tier of their own to begin the year, with either Chestnut or Mullings as a distant third-stringer. Mullings certainly provides an element that neither Pollard nor Spears can match. He comes from an esteemed running back-centric offense at Michigan, where he accrued 948 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry in 2024. He did not have the vision, speed or acceleration to become an elite prospect, but many predict that he will carve out a respectable career in the NFL. Few just saw it happening so quickly, particularly on a team like the Titans, who already seemed to have their backfield set in stone. Kalel Mullings continues to impress Titans' coaching staff As good of an offseason as he is having, Kalel Mullings is still presumably a step behind Tyjae Spears. The two are listed together on the Titans' 2025 unofficial depth chart, but the latter is much closer to Pollard than the rookie is. Regardless, Mullings continues to impress Tennessee from the moment he joined the team in April. Running backs coach Randy Jordan gushes over the potential he sees in Mullings, stemming from his maturity and mindset. 'One of the things I had to get used to is the fact that he sees it through a different lens,' Jordan said, via AtoZ Sports' JT Ruhnke. 'He played linebacker for all those years. So he can tell you, 'Hey coach, the mike linebacker ain't fitting right.' That helps in the sense of protection, knowing where the ball's supposed to fit, where the defense is going to [line up].' The depth chart is certainly interesting, but Callahan will not truly reveal his hand until Week 1. The more the Titans can get from their running backs, the easier life will be for rookie quarterback Cam Ward. Perhaps Spears separates himself from Mullings over the preseason, but it was nonetheless a surprise to see the two in the same position on Tennessee's inaugural 2025 depth chart. Related: 2 Titans first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of 2025 NFL season
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5 days ago
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Titans lose Tyjae Spears in first half of Buccaneers game with leg injury
The post Titans lose Tyjae Spears in first half of Buccaneers game with leg injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Tennessee Titans got some bad news amid the NFL preseason debut of quarterback Cam Ward, with running back Tyjae Spears reportedly suffering a concerning lower-body injury in the first half of Saturday night's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 'Titans RB Tyjae Spears was carted to the locker room night due to an apparent lower leg injury,' wrote Adam Schefter of ESPN in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Before he left the game, Spears had a negative one-yard output on three carries, as the Titans ended the first half trailing the Buccaneers by six points, 13-7. Although the full extent of Spears' injury has yet to be disclosed, it's certainly concerning for Tennessee, especially given his struggles to stay healthy in 2024. Last season, the former Tulane Green Wave football star appeared in only 12 games, including a start, and rushed for 312 yards and four touchdowns on 84 carries. He dealt with a hamstring issue and concussions, greatly limiting his potential to produce bigger numbers on the field for a Titans team that won three games. Spears is entering his third season in the NFL. He was taken in the third round (81st overall) by the Titans at the 2023 NFL draft. Playing behind Derrick Henry in 2023 as a rookie, Spears still managed to burn rubber for 453 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 100 carries through 17 games (one start) in his first year in the league. Henry left the Titans in the 2024 offseason, but the Titans also signed Tony Pollard, leaving Spears still with a backup Titans RB role. The hope for the Titans is that Spears did not suffer anything significant enough to keep him sidelined for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. The Titans will have two more NFL preseason games left to play after their date with the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Tennessee will take on the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in Week 2 before closing out its preseason campaign in Week 3 on Aug. 23 with a home game versus the Minnesota Vikings at Nissan Stadium in Tennessee. Related: Titans' Tyjae Spears gets crucial injury update after preseason exit Related: Buccaneers' Shilo Sanders makes Shedeur proud with huge hit vs. Titans
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5 days ago
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Titans' Brian Callahan provides timetable for Tyjae Spears injury
The post Titans' Brian Callahan provides timetable for Tyjae Spears injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Tennessee Titans received clarity on the status of running back Tyjae Spears. The running back left Tennessee's preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a high ankle sprain. Head coach Brian Callahan confirmed the diagnosis and provided an initial recovery timetable, offering optimism that Spears will return early in the regular season. Spears was injured in the second quarter when he was tackled by Tampa Bay defensive backs Rashad Wisdom and JJ Roberts. He limped off the field before being carted to the locker room. Initial fears of a long-term absence eased after tests showed no additional damage beyond the sprain. Callahan said the team expects Spears to miss several weeks. But he did not rule out his availability for the season opener against the Denver Broncos. High ankle sprains can take four to six weeks to heal. Although recovery time can vary depending on the severity of the injury and the player's conditioning. The Titans will need other running backs to step up with Tyjae Spears sidelined Spears had just three carries for minus one yard before leaving the game. But he had been drawing praise in training camp. The third-year back has rushed for 765 yards and six touchdowns in his first two seasons and is expected to form a one-two punch with starter Tony Pollard. With Spears sidelined, rookie sixth-round pick Kalel Mullings and third-year back Julius Chestnut will see expanded roles in practice and preseason games. Mullings led the Titans with 33 rushing yards on seven carries against Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, Chestnut added 18 yards on three attempts. Spears' absence will test the Titans' backfield depth early in Callahan's second season as head coach. The team hopes his return will coincide with the opening stretch of the regular season. But given his injury history, a cautious approach is expected. For now, Tennessee's focus will be on keeping Pollard healthy and preparing Mullings and Chestnut to shoulder the load until Spears is ready to rejoin the lineup. Related: Titans HC Brian Callahan evaluates Cam Ward's preseason debut Related: Titans' Cam Ward reveals 'biggest thing' after successful preseason debut
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5 days ago
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Titans' Tyjae Spears gets crucial injury update after preseason exit
The post Titans' Tyjae Spears gets crucial injury update after preseason exit appeared first on ClutchPoints. Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears hit a major setback in Saturday's preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The medical team carted Spears off in the second quarter after he limped off the field following a 13-yard reception from backup quarterback Brandon Allen on a third-and-15 play. ESPN insider Turron Davenport has confirmed the injury as a high ankle sprain. '#Titans RB Tyjae Spears' initial injury diagnosis is a high ankle sprain per sources,' Davenport wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Spears finished the game with three carries for minus one yard and one reception for 13 yards. The 2023 third-round pick, entering his third NFL season, was expected to play a major role as the primary backup behind starter Tony Pollard in the Titans' backfield alongside Cam Ward. In 2024, Spears carried the ball 114 times for 536 yards and five touchdowns over 12 games but had missed time due to hamstring and concussion injuries. Titans head coach Brian Callahan acknowledged the likelihood of an ankle injury but withheld specifics on severity pending further evaluation. Spears' absence could open up opportunities for rookie Kalel Mullings, the sixth-round pick from Michigan, who would likely see an increased workload if Spears misses time, though Pollard would also absorb more carries as he did during the 2024 campaign. The Titans found it hard to get anything going offensively, managing just seven rushing yards on eight carries in the first half, with Pollard rushing four times for nine yards and a touchdown. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward showed promise, completing five of eight passes for 67 yards and leading an 11-play, 65-yard scoring drive that resulted in Pollard's one-yard touchdown run. Ward finished the night with an 89.1 passer rating, demonstrating composure despite the 29-7 loss. The Buccaneers overpowered the Titans' defense, converting five of 10 third downs and controlling the clock for over 21 minutes in the first half. However, the Titans' red-zone defense held the Buccaneers to a two-for-five scoring efficiency. Tennessee now prepares to continue its preseason schedule on the road with joint practices against the Atlanta Falcons ahead of their August 15 matchup. Related: Titans HC Brian Callahan evaluates Cam Ward's preseason debut Related: Titans' Brian Callahan provides timetable for Tyjae Spears injury
Reuters
10-08-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Titans RB Tyjae Spears nursing high-ankle sprain
August 10 - Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears is expected to miss a few weeks with a high-ankle sprain, head coach Brian Callahan told reporters Sunday. Spears sustained the injury during Saturday's 29-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a preseason game. He had three carries for minus-1 yard on Saturday for the Titans, who likely will rely on fellow running backs Julius Chestnut and Kalel Mullings to provide support for starter Tony Pollard. Spears, 24, rushed for 312 yards and four touchdowns and added 30 catches for 224 yards and one score in 12 games (one start) last season for Tennessee. He has rushed for 765 yards and six touchdowns in 29 career games (two starts) since being selected by the Titans in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Tulane. --Field Level Media
