Tennessee

Titans Given Opportunity to Pursued Matthew Stafford

Published

10 months ago

February 23, 2025

Titans Given Opportunity to Pursued Matthew Stafford

The Tennessee Titans have found themselves among the mix of teams with lingering quarterback questions entering this offseason, and seem primed to address their need at the position one way or another in the coming months.

Following a turbulent campaign led by Will Levis and Mason Rudolph, the Titans will likely search far and wide for an improvement under center for 2025. Whether that be done through free agency, the draft, or a blockbuster trade, Tennessee will be digging for answers.

Could that answer for the Titans be Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford? Well, the idea just became a few inches more likely over the weekend.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Rams have permitted Stafford to speak with other teams around the league about his value –– leading to some believing the former Super Bowl champion could be in for a new team in 2025.

The move is not a trade request from Stafford, nor a firm declaration from the Rams that they want to move off of him. If anything, the reported goal is for LA and their star quarterback to find a new contract agreement to keep the pairing in-house.

Yet, the door is at least cracked for the two-time Pro Bowler to find a new home, which snowballs into to some questions revolving around the Titans and their potential fit.

The idea of Stafford connecting with the Titans does look a bit outlandish on paper. For a quarterback to go from a team one win away from an NFC Championship appearance to being on the worst team in the NFL, that’d be a major 180-degree turn, especially heading into his age-37 season.

In the eyes of head coach Brian Callahan and the Titans offense, the hypothetical addition of Stafford does have an appeal. An experienced signal caller leading the way would be a much different approach than what Tennessee saw last year, and would likely lead to a bit more success in the standings.

However, for the two to potentially have a mutual fit with one another, the logistics have to work both ways. For Stafford, it’s hard to see that coming to fruition with Tennesssee when there’s a complimentary fit like the Rams in your back pocket.

Can the Titans be ruled out of the running 100%? Anything can happen in the NFL, so maybe not. Yet, the odds of seeing Stafford calling Tennessee his next home might look a bit slim, to say the least.

Make sure you bookmark Tennessee Titans on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Tennessee

Tracking Music City Bowl opt outs for Tennessee and Illinois

Published

7 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Tracking the opt outs for both Tennessee and Illinois before the Music City Bowl on December 30 (5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville:

Tennessee

Linebacker Arion Carter: Carter over the last seasons had 96 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 31 career games. He had a team-high 76 tackles this season, with 6.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while appearing in 10 games. He missed two games and was limited against Oklahoma in November while dealing with turf toe injuries. Carter had 68 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss in 13 games last season and 17 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss in eight games as a freshman in 2023.

Wide Receiver Chris Brazzell II: He a breakout senior season in his second year with the Vols, catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 19 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, after transferring from Tulane. In 15 games at Tulane he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns. Brazzell is ranked No. 7 at wide receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft Big Board. He’s ranked No. 34 overall on ESPN’s list of the best available prospects in the draft.

Cornerback Jermod McCoy: Did not play this season after tearing his ACL during offseason training in January. He was a star last season with 44 tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions. He had 31 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games as a freshman at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee.

Illinois

Offensive Tackle J.C. Davis: Bret Bielema said the Illinois starting left tackle is opting out of the Music City Bowl. He was an All-Big Ten First Team pick by the league coaches this season and the No. 3 left tackle this season according to Pro Football Focus grades. He had made 49 straight starts before opting out of the bowl game.

EDGE Gabe Jacas: The Illinois outside linebacker declared for the NFL Draft on Friday night. He led the Big Ten this season with 11.0 sacks. He had 13.5 tackles for loss and 43 total tackles in 12 games this season. He finishes second in Illinois program history for career sacks, with 27.0, trailing only Simeon Rice. Jacas had 74 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss last season, after combining for 8.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss in his first two seasons at Illinois.

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Tennessee

More than 8,500 layoffs hit Tennessee in 2025, nearly 19% increase from 2024

Published

19 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

More than 8,500 layoffs hit Tennessee in 2025, nearly 19% increase from 2024

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Tennessee employers laid off more than 8,500 workers in 2025 compared to 7,320 last year, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.

This is about a 19% increase in layoffs, with WARN notices impacting 8,691 Tennesseans to date. As of 2023, 5,168 Tennessee workers were laid off through WARN notices.

Counties in Middle Tennessee impacted include:

Davidson
Sumner
Maury
Rutherford
Williamson
Wilson
Coffee
DeKalb
Bedford
Lawrence
Putnam

The largest layoff this year was in Maury County. Come January, 710 employees will be laid off from GM Ultium Cells’ Spring Hill facility. Research Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Michael Kofoed tells FOX 17 News that the facility is is likely impacted by the rise on steel tariffs ruled out by the Trump administration. He adds steel tariffs raise input costs for employers which directly impacts employees’ salary or employment.

The second largest layoff impacted 658 workers at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC in Rutherford County with 615 workers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center permanently laid off. WARN notices are reports a company is required to file with the state to give workers time to find future employment.

Kofoed states that Tennessee is seeing a troubling trend, with layoffs skyrocketing since 2023.

“That is a very big and concerning number,” Kofoed said.

According to CNBC, more than 1.1 million U.S. employees were laid off this year, the highest 11-month total since 2020.

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Nonprofit rescues 11 ‘emaciated and suffering’ animals from Tennessee property ahead of dangerous cold snap

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Nonprofit rescues 11 ‘emaciated and suffering’ animals from Tennessee property ahead of dangerous cold snap

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) is asking for donations after rescuing 11 animals Friday.

ARC said it was contacted by law enforcement in an unidentified rural Tennessee area to rescue five dogs and six cats in what the nonprofit is calling “Operation Cold Snap.”

In the rescue, the nonprofit took in two emaciated Great Danes, three Pit Bulls and six cats. ARC said some of the animals are emaciated and suffering from untreated bite wounds and infections.

The nonprofit said the animals were kept without heat or regular care.

ARC shared a video of the rescue. In it, you can see the property s in disarray with trash littering the floor and overturned furniture.

This rescue comes just days before Middle Tennessee is expected to see its coldest temperatures of the season.

Now, ARC is asking for donations to help the 11 animals rescued Operation Cold Snap. Those interested in donating can do so on the nonprofit’s website.

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