Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Great Ryan Tannehill Debate Rages On For Titans Fans And Media Alike
NASHVILLE - Let's be honest, nothing I or anyone else writes about Tennessee Titans starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill will change the minds or opinions of those who like and support him or dislike and want him gone.
So let's work through Tannehill and give honest thoughts to this continuing debate.
Tannehill is, without a doubt, the most polarizing player on this roster, but he is also this team's best option to win games this season. Some might disagree, but having watched both the OTAs and minicamp, it's evident that while Malik Willis has improved, he isn't quite there yet, and neither is rookie Will Levis.
So what exactly is Tannehill in entering his 12th season in the NFL?
Tannehill is an above-average but below-great quarterback. He's capable of winning games, a lot of them when healthy, as he has proven by amassing a 36-18 record as the Titans starting quarterback.
However, he has failed in the playoffs, causing fans to turn on him and openly advocate for his departure from this team.
As for the playoffs, Tannehill deserves much of the blame for the team's failures, but at the same time, he has been the recipient of far too much of that blame. Football is a team sport, and while Tanehill's three interceptions in the Titans playoff loss in 2021 rest on his right arm, other players failed to make plays that could have changed the course of that game.
Despite what some fans want to believe, it was not all Tannehill's fault, despite a sizeable amount resting on him.
The other issue fans have taken offense with regarding the former Texas A&M wide receiver is his massive contract. I don't remember many people objecting to his deal when it was first signed, though it is now a significant cap issue this season.
Last season, Tannehill played in 12 games, going six and six along the way. He had the team in position to win the division for a third consecutive season before his injury ended his season. His wasn't the only significant injury in 2022, as the starting left tackle, Taylor Lewan, in part led to Tannehill repeatedly being hit and harassed until his final injury.
We will never know how the final five games of last season would have played out with Tannehill still on the field, but this writer believes that things might have turned out much differently.
Remember that the Titans were leading Jacksonville with just over three minutes remaining in the game, on the road, and with a starting quarterback on the team's roster for just two weeks entering that contest.
Had Tannehill not been hurt, perhaps he would have won the Titans a game that eliminated the winner-take-all final game against the Jaguars. Maybe he beats Trevor Lawrence in that game, and the Titans would have flown home as AFC South champs again.
We'll never know what might have been, but we know what is right now.
We know two things, and while some might be willing to debate those, I'm not listening.
First, Tannehill is a leader. His presence and work during the recent OTAs prove his dedication and willingness to work to learn this new offense and to become familiar with and on the same page as his offensive teammates.
Ans secondly, Tannehill is the best option for this team to win games this season.
He's not going to put this team on his shoulders and will them to a Lombardi Trophy like Patrick Mahomes could, but this team isn't going to come close to the playoffs without him in 2023, and it's time for fans and the media to get over it and move on.
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