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What Tennessee Titans’ Roger McCreary is learning from veteran defensive backfield

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What Tennessee Titans’ Roger McCreary is learning from veteran defensive backfield


Cornerback Roger McCreary is confident in his chances to be one of the Tennessee Titans’ starters on defense.

He also knows — given the additions general manager Ran Carthon made to the Titans’ defensive backfield this offseason — the task won’t be easy.

In March, Carthon signed eighth-year cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and traded for fifth-year cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. Then, two weeks before training camp began, he added three-time Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams.

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McCreary, a third-year player who finished third in pass breakups (6) and fourth in combined tackles (86) on the Titans last season, is suddenly one of the least experienced players in the Titans’ defensive backfield.

“Those guys are who you look up to and just want to play with,” McCreary said at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park on Thursday. “They make you better just by how they play.”

Awuzie, 29, played seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals before signing with the Titans. He has 369 tackles and six interceptions in 86 career games.

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AWUZIE UPDATE: Tennessee Titans CB Chidobe Awuzie will miss a couple weeks with calf injury

Sneed, 27, played four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs where he was part of two Super Bowl wins. He was traded to the Titans for a third-round pick on Mar. 29.

“Those guys are great,” McCreary said of Sneed and Awuzie. “We studied them up close when we played them. They are veterans, and they give me tips on what I should do.”

Tennessee Titans’ Roger McCreary wants to be aggressive like Jamal Adams

While McCreary learns technique and skill from Sneed and Awuzie, he’s learning to be more aggressive from the Titans’ newest addition Jamal Adams.

Aggressive play near the line of scrimmage is the calling card of Adams, who is looking to reestablish his NFL presence after missing 24 games over the last two seasons. Injuries suffered while playing with the Seattle Seahawks seemingly derailed his career and had many wondering if he would play again.

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Adams signed a one-year, $1.125 deal with the Titans on July 11, something he sees as a “prove it” deal.

One of the most physical safeties in the game during his time with the Seahawks and New York Jets, Adams has 21.5 sacks and 494 tackles in 80 career games. McCreary says he’s eager to grow the physical side of his game learning from Adams.

“I’ve seen his games, I know how he plays,” McCreary said about Adams. “He’s aggressive and I see how he is in that box. I’m trying to be aggressive like him.”

As the Titans continue through training camp, McCreary has a clear shot to be one of the Titans’ starting defensive backs. With Awuzie and Sneed ahead of him, he would slot as the nickel corner, a position that Adams has also played in his career.

With more defensive veteran leaders in the room, McCreary is also ready to establish himself as a leader.

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“For me, I’m trying to be more of a vocal guy,” McCreary said. “We got new guys coming in, so my main goal is to be that vocal leader and set the example.”



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Tennessee

419 sober drivers in Tennessee arrested for DUI in 2024, according to TBI

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419 sober drivers in Tennessee arrested for DUI in 2024, according to TBI


New data released Monday by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation shows 419 sober drivers were arrested for DUI in Tennessee in 2024, the highest number of wrongful arrests in a single year since WSMV4 Investigates first started obtaining the data.



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Sick and tired: Counties near Chattanooga are now reporting highest flu rates in Tennessee

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Sick and tired: Counties near Chattanooga are now reporting highest flu rates in Tennessee


Tennessee health officials say flu activity is rising sharply in around Chattanooga, with counties surrounding Hamilton showing some of the highest rates in the state.

Marion, Grundy, Sequatchie, Bradley, Meigs, Rhea, Bledsoe, McMinn and Polk counties are currently the only areas in Tennessee rated “very high” for influenza activity by the Tennessee Dept. of Health. Photo via the Tennessee Health Dept.

Marion, Grundy, Sequatchie, Bradley, Meigs, Rhea, Bledsoe, McMinn and Polk counties are currently the only areas in Tennessee rated “very high” for influenza activity by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These counties have flu positivity rates greater than 10 percent. By comparison, the statewide average is 6.5 percent, and Hamilton County itself is at 6.9 percent.

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State and federal health experts say the surge comes as influenza A(H3N2) continues to circulate widely. The CDC reports at least 11 million flu illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths nationwide so far this season. One pediatric death was reported this week in Tennessee, bringing the season total to nine nationwide.

File photo: Getty Images.

File photo: Getty Images.

Georgia officials are also reporting higher-than-average flu activity, signaling that the region is experiencing a particularly active season. Health authorities encourage residents six months and older to get vaccinated if they have not already and to take precautions such as frequent handwashing and staying home when sick.

Flu activity is expected to remain elevated in Tennessee and across the U.S. for several more weeks, according to the CDC. Local hospitals and clinics are urging families to monitor symptoms and seek care early, especially for children, older adults, and those with chronic health conditions.

For the latest guidance on influenza vaccination and antiviral treatments, visit the Tennessee Department of Health or the CDC at cdc.gov.

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Tennessee launches country’s first public database tracking domestic abusers

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Tennessee launches country’s first public database tracking domestic abusers


Tennessee launched the country’s first-ever public database tracking and listing convicted domestic abusers as part of a ratified law honoring a sheriff’s deputy who was murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend.

The database, which officially launched on Jan. 1, includes offenders’ names, photos and dates of birth and is part of Savanna’s Law. The bill was signed into law by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in May 2025 and required the state to establish the registry in Savanna Puckett’s name.

Puckett, a 22-year-old Robertson County Sheriff’s deputy, was tragically killed by her ex-boyfriend, James Conn, at her home on Jan. 23, 2022. Conn had a lengthy history of domestic assault arrests that Puckett had no knowledge of before they began dating.

Robertson County Sheriff’s Deputy Savanna Puckett, 22, was killed by her ex-boyfriend in 2022. WVLT

Conn shot Puckett in the torso and head before he set her home on fire. He pleaded guilty to her murder in August 2023 and was sentenced to life in prison.

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Puckett’s distraught mother, Kim Dodson, was determined to save other domestic abuse victims from her daughter’s fate and began pushing state lawmakers for change.

She was a staunch advocate for the bill’s passage and said that if the registry had existed sooner, her daughter might still be alive.

Puckett’s killer, James Conn, had a lengthy history of domestic violence-related arrests. Robertson County Sheriff’s Office

“I was just horrified when I finally saw all those records because I know Savanna well enough that she would have never dated him. I honestly, honestly, honestly feel that if she had known that she could still be here,” Dodson told WSMV.

The domestic abuser registry is run through the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and lists anyone in the state who has been convicted of at least two domestic violence-related charges, according to the website.

However, the offender’s registration is dependent on the accusing victim. If the victim doesn’t consent to their abuser’s name being included, then the offender can bypass the registry.

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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed Savanna’s Law in May 2025. Getty Images

The database doesn’t include info on offenders convicted before the new year, so the current list is limited. But it was made in the mirror image of the state’s sex offender registry, which is more fleshed out with decades-worth of listings.

The sex offender registry includes a rolling queue of “wanted violators” and a “map of offenders.”

Tennessee has previously ranked among the top 10 states with the most domestic violence homicides. In 2019, it tied for fifth with South Carolina in a separate list detailing the states with the highest femicide rates, WTVF reported.



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