Countdown to Kickoff: 7 Days

Billy Volek lost seven times as the Titans' starting quarterback, but he always made things interesting.

The countdown to kickoff continues.

The Tennessee Titans will open the 2020 regular season Sept. 14 at Denver. That is seven days away. So, today we look at one way the number seven figures into the team’s recent history.

Things did not always work out well when Billy Volek was the Tennessee Titans’ starting quarterback. But they were never dull.

Volek and the Titans lost seven times in the 10 games he was their starting quarterback. All but one of those defeats came in 2004, when he had the job for half the season due to Steve McNair’s injury issues.

However, Volek is the franchise’s only quarterback to throw for more than 400 yards in a game more than once. He did it twice (492 against Oakland and 426 against Kansas City in consecutive weeks) – both in defeats. He also threw four touchdown passes in each of those games, which made one of two quarterbacks (Marcus Mariota is the other) with four or more in more than one contest.

He is the only Titans quarterback to complete more than 36 passes in a game. He did it twice (40 against the Raiders, 39 against the Chargers) – both in defeats. In both of those contests, he attempted more than 50 throws. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the only other Tennessee quarterback to let it fly that often in a single contest.

Volek’s first career start came late in 2003 and he led Tennessee to a 28-26 victory over Buffalo. His 1-yard touchdown run (one of two rushing touchdowns in his career) with 4:23 provided the decisive points. But he came out of that contest with a lacerated spleen that required him to spend a few days in the hospital and ended his season.

An undrafted rookie out of Fresno State, he made the team in 2000 but played just one game (and threw three passes) in his first three seasons.

After Tennessee, he spent five years with the Chargers and notched 15 appearances, none as a starter. It was an uneventful end to a career that included such remarkable moments.