Commentator Decries Lack of Respect for Tannehill

Mike Greenberg says the Tennessee Titans quarterback has 'been as good as any' since he replaced Marcus Mariota.

Ryan Tannehill has been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks over the last two seasons.

Not that everyone recognizes or realizes it.

ESPN’s Mike Greenberg is one who has seen it, and Tuesday he labeled Tannehill the most disrespected player in sports right now. His morning radio show included a rant about just how good Tannehill has been since he became the Tennessee Titans’ starter six games into the 2019 season.

“Ryan Tannehill is the reason they [the Titans] have gotten so good,” Greenberg said on his show, Greeny. “Why is Ryan Tannehill so completely disrespected and overlooked? It is because people had a perception of him in Miami that they have never gotten past. It’s as though they have forgotten the problem in Miami was [head coach] Adam Gase.

“He’s been as good as any quarterback, with no exceptions, in the NFL in the year and a half he’s been the starter.”

The source of Greenberg’s spirited rant came from Jeremy Fowler’s piece on ESPN.com, where he asked players, coaches and executives to rank their top 10 quarterbacks, part of a series that has provided a similar look at each position.

Tannehill was not included the top 10. Instead, he was listed as “receiving consideration” behind, among others, the Chargers Justin Herbert (No. 9) and Matthew Stafford (No. 6), two players who have no playoff wins to their credit, and Dallas’ Dk Prescott (No. 7).

One coordinator who spoke to Fowler said Tannehill was “solid -- not elite, but incredibly efficient.”

Greenberg stated what many Titans fans have believed since Tannehill took over, that he is really good and often doesn’t get enough praise for it.

In his first full season as Tennessee’s signal-caller, the Titans offense finished fifth in yards per game (385), Seventh in yards per passing attempt (7.5), fourth in points per game (29.6) and second in red-zone efficiency (74.24 percent).

“Don’t tell me it’s all Derrick Henry,” Greenberg said.

Before Tannehill replaced Marcus Mariota, Henry ranked 14th in rushing. Since then, he has rushed for 1,000 more yards than any other running back in the NFL. Additionally, Greenberg noted that while Mariota was the quarterback, Henry averaged 51 rushing yards per game. With Tannehill calling the shots, Henry averaged 126 yards.

The Titans are 18-8 with Tannehill as the starter. They have two playoff wins. And last season they won the AFC South for the first time since 2008.

Still, Tannehill lacks the same notoriety and fanfare as other quarterbacks who possess a perceived perception of winning.

“When they poll people in the sport, he’s not in the top 10. This has got to be a joke,” Greenberg said. “He’s as elite as anybody you want to name.”