Lewan Knows End of Career is Near

The long-time left tackle expects the Tennessee Titans to release him after the season and says he might retire rather than move on to another NFL team.

George Walker IV / USA Today Sports

NASHVILLE – Taylor Lewan expects the Tennessee Titans to release him after this season. And he hasn’t ruled out retirement.

Those were some of the comments the long-time left tackle made Thursday during an appearance on the Up & Adams podcast.

Lewan hasn’t played this season since Week 2 when he tore his ACL on the first offensive play of a loss to the Buffalo Bills. He has since undergone surgery and won’t play again this season. It was the second torn ACL and surgery in three seasons for Lewan, whose 2020 season was limited to five games by the same injury.

The 31-year-old said he also suffered a lateral meniscus injury when he tore the ACL this year, but described the current recovery process as “as a much smoother ride so far in the first nine weeks” compared to the previous ACL rehabilitation.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Lewan has started 100 games for the Titans over the past nine seasons. He is the longest-tenured member of the current team, a 2014 first-round draft pick.

Lewan is under contract for one more season with the Titans, with a cap hit of $14.8 million, per overthecap.com. But the Titans could release Lewan without financial penalty, which would open much-needed room under the salary cap.

“I think right now, I think if you were to say what happens to Taylor Lewan with the Tennessee Titans after the season ends, you would likely assume I’m released from the team, probably February or March,” Lewan said on the podcast. “That is something that – you play in this game long enough and you see how the dominos fall and – like I said before, two ACLs in three years, it’s kind of hard for people to wrap their minds around keeping me in the building.”

Assuming that happens, what's next?

Lewan said he isn’t certain he will continue to play, noting he and his family are happy in Nashville, and that he’s pleased with the highly successful Bussin’ With the Boys podcast he records with former teammate Will Compton.

“I think everything is up in the air for me right now,” Lewan said. “Here’s where I have my conversation with myself internally. I have played this game for a long time. I remember playing in college and I remember my first couple years in the league and playing the way I did. I’ve always said to myself, `I’m not going to go and watch the demise of Taylor Lewan.’

“I don’t want to be the guy that ends up, `Oh, he’s still chasing the dream. He’s been on five teams in four years.’ There’s nothing against that. This is just how my brain has wired. I need to see how this recovery goes.

“If in my head, I’m like, 'OK, you can still be a dominant player in the NFL. You can still play and you can stay healthy,’ … those are all the things I really need to evaluate when I’m going through this process. Or do you hang them up with still some tread left on the tires?

“I have a phenomenal life. I have an incredible life. I do a podcast with my best friend. I have the most amazing wife in the world, the best kids. We live in an amazing city. So there’s a lot to evaluate. I’m not making any decisions now, but it’s something that does come in your head when you’re 31 years old playing this game.”