Lewan Longs To Assume a Leadership Role

Left tackle aspires to be a team captain now that he is the senior member of the Titans' offense.

When Mike Mularkey took over for Ken Wisenhunt as head coach of the Titans after a 1-6 start in 2015, one of his first decisions was to strip offensive tackle Taylor Lewan of his captaincy.

Nearly five years later, Lewan, a three-time Pro Bowler and the longest-tenured member of the Titans offense, feels as if it’s time to get that ‘C’ stitched back on to his No. 77 jersey.

After losing the AFC Championship game to the Kansas City Chiefs in January, Lewan has reflected on his brief stint as a captain in 2015. Then, the 2014 first-round pick said, he was trying to be someone that he wasn’t. Now, entering his seventh season with the organization, he feels more grounded as a person and more comfortable in his ability to lead.

“When you get to a game like the AFC Championship game and you realize how close you are, and then you start to realize, ‘Hey, I don’t have 20 years to play this game,’” Lewan said Thursday on a video conference. “I have hopefully five good ones left, steal a couple at the end there. You realize how short this career can really be, and how much I need to make the most of it.

“I look forward to taking up that challenge and being a good leader for this team and doing the best I can to help turn that page to where we do get farther than we did last year.”

To left guard Rodger Saffold, the NFL is more about what you do than what you say, and he likes what he sees from Lewan.

“It’s totally understandable,” Saffold said. “As offensive linemen, we’re considered the hard-hat, blue collar and hard-working guys. That’s something anybody can look up to. The possibilities are endless for Taylor. He likes where he is. He’s constantly focused on getting better. I like the trend Taylor is going on.”

With high pay comes high expectations. Lewan, who signed a five-year, $80 million contract extension in July 2018, understands that his teammates and coaches expect more from him.

“If I was the coach right now, I’d be pretty pissed off that I haven’t taken on a leadership role yet,” he said. “I think I have done a poor job of stepping up as a leader. That’s been by choice, and a little more by fear. Realizing who I am and what I can bring to the table is really important.”

“I owe it to this team to be a better leader.”