Titans HC Explain DB's Absence

The Tennessee Titans played their Week 12 game without a key member of the secondary.

Tennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker (37) warms up before facing the Minnesota Vikings at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Titans didn't see veteran defensive back Amani Hooker on the field in the team's Week 12 win against the Houston Texans despite being declared active for the game.

Hooker was dealing with an illness throughout the day and the Titans had to adjust throughout the afternoon.

“I knew Amani [Hooker] was going to be questionable when we got to the stadium this morning," Titans coach Brian Callahan said postgame. "He didn't get on the first bus, and he called the docs and said he wasn't feeling very good. He was throwing up and all those things. And they tried everything to get him ready to go. He tried to fight through it but basically every time he stood up he threw up. Tough day to go out there and play when you feel like that."

With Hooker out, the Titans had to rely on the backend of the depth chart to step up, and Callahan gave those guys flowers.

"And really I think Daryl Worley stepping up in that role after not really practicing much this week -- played a little bit, but to step up in that moment and play an entire game at safety that he wasn't anticipating was pretty remarkable, to be honest," Callahan said. "We knew probably about a couple hours before kickoff that it would be a struggle to get him to go.”

During the contest, Worley went down with an injury, so Julius Wood also had to play a little bit as well.

The Titans did a good job adopting the "next man up" mentality, and that's something they will be able to lean back on in the rest of the games this season.

The Titans are back in action Sunday against the Washington Commanders.

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