Cody Parkey ready to put 'best foot forward' with Titans

Kicker tried out for Tennessee in Week 1, had been unemployed since the end of last season

Cody Parkey was the Tennessee Titans’ second choice at the start of the season.

That made him the first person they called Monday, when they decided they needed a new kicker.

The 27-year-old who has played for four other teams in a five-year NFL career auditioned for the Titans along with Cairo Santos back in Week 1 when it was determined that Ryan Succop was headed to injured reserve to continue his recovery from offseason knee surgery. Coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday that the difference between the two was negligible but franchise officials opted for Santos at that time.

“It was really close. They all made everything that we asked them to kick. It was a very competitive workout, a very good workout and in the end you have to make decisions.

“… It was a really good workout and we feel comfortable now going forward here with Cody.”

Parkey got the call after Santos went 0-for-4 on field goals in Sunday’s 14-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills. For his career, he has made 83.9 percent of his 118 field goal attempts. By comparison, Santos has connected on 80.6 percent of 134 attempts.

Both entered the NFL in 2014. Parkey spent his first two seasons with Philadelphia and then bounced from Cleveland (2016) to Miami (2017) and Chicago. The Bears cut him in March after he missed a potential game-winning field goal attempt in a wild card playoff game against Philadelphia.

He was not with any team in training camp.

“Not everything is going to go your way,” he said “So it’s about how you respond and how you get back to it. Just never stay defeated and continue to put your best foot forward.

Parkey added he was comfortable with the fact that he did not get the call initially or that none of the other tryouts he had over the past four weeks resulted in a job either. While he waited, he trained daily and spent time with his wife at their home in Jupiter, Fla.

“The way I kind of operate, I don’t let that stuff bother me,” he said. “I try my best. I work really hard and I hope results follow.

“… I stayed ready back home and here I am.”

This is the second time in his career he was not on a team at the start of the regular season. In 2016 he joined Cleveland in Week 3 and went 3-for-6 in field goal attempts (he made the only extra point he tried) in a 30-24 defeat but did not miss a kick in the next five games. He held the job for the remainder of that season and finished 20-for-25 on field goals and 20-for-21 on PATs.

The expectation in this case is that he will keep the job only until Succop is ready to come off IR, which could be as soon as Week 9.

“I think this is a good fit for me,” Parkey said. “The organization seems awesome and I’m just really blessed for the opportunity.

“… I’ve had some success in this league and I plan on continuing to do so.”