Titans RB Tandem Poised For Success

Tennessee Titans running backs have high hopes for 2024 season.

Jan 7, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (32) celebrates after a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports / Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

NASHVILLE — Tennessee Titans running backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears face a challenging task that could offer a unique opportunity in the 2024 National Football League season.

Choosing to move on from the legendary running back Derrick Henry was a tough but strategic decision for Titans general manager Ran Carthon. Titans' first-year Brian Callahan wants to run a more modern offense and share running back responsibilities.

"Yeah, they are definitely different personalities. Tony's (Pollard) a lot quieter," Callahan said. "Tyjae's got a lot more natural energy. But they both practice really hard, which is great. But those guys have—I can't wait to start playing around and using them in different ways because they both do things differently, but they're unique.
"Tony's got great acceleration and great explosiveness with the ball in his hands. Tyjae does too. Tyjae's got really great short area quickness. So anytime we can find ways to match those guys up in the passing game on linebackers is a huge benefit for us."

Pollard, a 26-year-old Memphis native, has achieved consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Cowboys and amassed over 300 receiving yards in the past three seasons.

Spears is entering his second year after being drafted in the third round of the 2023 draft. Spears collected 100 carries for 453 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. He also had 52 receptions for 385 yards.

Spears is hopeful that the Titans tandem can be one of the best in the league this season.

"We're just pushing each other, we want the best. I want to see both of us in top-5 rushing, top-5 best backs this year," Spears told reporters after last Wednesday's OTA session. "With the O-line we've got, we can reach those heights, but we've got to push each other, and it starts now."

Callahan expressed the team's unwavering optimism about the potential of Pollard and Spears, underscoring their unique abilities and what they bring to the team.

"I've not seen guys like them very often. And we have two of them, they can line up out wide and run a route tree like a receiver can," Callahan said. "And that's and they catch naturally, which is exciting. I'm fired up to see how they run with the ball in our scheme. Again, with no pads on it's hard to really tell, but, I'm excited about the style that we can run with."

"We can do a lot of different things. We can run from the gun, we can run on the perimeter because they got enough speed. And they're both tough enough and physical enough to run in between the tackles. And so, I've said it before, but I'm really excited about what those guys can bring."

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