Casey 'Confused,' 'Hurt' by Titans' Decision to Trade Him

Five-time Pro Bowler bids farewell to the only NFL franchise he's only known

Jurrell Casey made his best attempt at “keeping it light” but had to admit that the Tennessee Titans’ decision to trade him to the Denver Broncos left him “confused (and) hurt.”

The five-time Pro Bowler and team captain for the past six seasons shared his feelings in an Instagram post Thursday afternoon, shortly before the Titans formally announced the transaction. Tennessee received a seventh-round draft pick from the Broncos and freed up significant salary cap space.

“Hoping I left my mark in (Tennessee) because y’all will forever be in my heart,” he wrote, in part. “Thank you to the Titan’s [sic] organization and all the men who grinded with me day in and day out. All good things must come to an end ... but, sometimes for even better things!”

Casey, a 6-foot-1, 305-pound defensive lineman, is one of five players in franchise history with at least 50 sacks (he has 51, including at least five in each of the last seven years) and is the only player of the Titans era (1999-present) to earn more than three Pro Bowl invitations. He also was named the Titans Community Man of the Year in 2016 and 2018.

His 139 career games played (137 starts) are tied for 20 in franchise history.

He said during the team’s recent playoff run that he wanted to play his entire NFL career with one team and in 2019 he had been with the Titans longer than any member of the offense or defense.

“When I first arrived in Tennessee as the Titans general manager, Jurrell was the first Titan I met,” general manager Jon Robinson said in a release from the Titans. “He welcomed me to the team, and said he was ready to get back to winning.

“It’s been an honor to work with him the last four seasons. He has been a consummate professional in our building, a captain, a leader in our community, and a fearless, productive competitor on gamedays. The list of awards and honors he has won both on and off the field are numerous. I wish him nothing but the best moving forward, your legacy here will never be forgotten.”

With Denver, he joins a team that finished 10 in the NFL in scoring defense with an average of 19.8 points per game. The Broncos’ head coach is Vic Fangio, a long-time defensive coordinator and long regarded as one of the game’s top defensive minds. His staff includes offensive line coach Mike Munchak, who was Tennessee’s head coach when Casey was drafted (2011).

“Jurrell Casey is a top-flight defensive lineman who has been among the most productive players in the NFL at his position,” Broncos general manager John Elway said. “What stands out with Jurrell is how hard he plays, providing a consistent interior pass rush and coupling that with a strong presence against the run. In addition to being a perennial Pro Bowler, Jurrell is a respected locker room and community presence who brings strong leadership qualities to the Broncos.”