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HomeSportsTennessee Titans return key veteran players for 2021

Tennessee Titans return key veteran players for 2021

Tennessee TitansNashville, TN – A nucleus of key veterans remain from the Tennessee Titans 2020 playoff team to welcome the newcomers.

The returning group on offense includes several Pro Bowl players, including quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who set a franchise record in 2020 with 40 combined passing and rushing touchdowns; 2,000-yard running back and two-time NFL rushing champion Derrick Henry; wideout A.J. Brown, who reached the 1,000-yard receiving mark in each of his first two seasons; and left tackle Taylor Lewan, returning to action after finishing 2020 on injured reserve.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) threw for over 3,000 yards in 2020. (Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) threw for over 3,000 yards in 2020. (Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

On defense, Pro Bowl safety Kevin Byard is among the veteran leaders set to return, as is defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, outside linebacker Harold Landry III and inside linebackers Rashaan Evans and Jayon Brown.

With Tannehill, Henry, and Brown leading the way for the offense last season, the Titans joined the 1997 Detroit Lions as the only teams in NFL history to feature a 2,000-yard rusher, a 3,000-yard passer, and a 1,000-yard receiver. Henry led the league in rushing for the second consecutive season, and his 2,027 rushing yards gave him the fifth-best total in league history.

Meanwhile, Tannehill passed for 3,819 yards, and his 106.5 passer rating was the fifth-best number in the NFL. Brown was named to his first Pro Bowl after he recorded his second consecutive 1,000-yard season (1,075) and tied for fifth place in the NFL with 11 touchdown catches.

The Titans tied the Buffalo Bills for second place in total offense with an average of 396.4 yards per game, which was the franchise’s highest ranking since finishing second in 1991. Only the Kansas City Chiefs offense (415.8) fared better on a per-game basis than Tennessee. The Titans also placed second in the league in rushing offense (168.1 yards per game) and fourth in scoring offense (30.7 points per game).

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