FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 7, 2020 TITANS OPEN SEASON AT DENVER ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Tennessee Titans (0-0) at Denver Broncos (0-0) Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 • 9:20 p.m. CDT • Empower Field at Mile High • Denver, Colo. • TV: ESPN/FOX 17 NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans (0-0) travel to Denver this week to open their season against the Broncos (0-0) on Monday Night Football. The game marks 2020 TITANS SCHEDULE the Titans’ first Monday night season opener in franchise history. Kickoff at Empower Field at Mile High is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. MDT/9:20 p.m. CDT Day Date Opponent Kickoff TV on Sept. 14. Mon. Sept. 14 at Denver 9:20 p.m. ESPN It will be the third season opener in franchise history against the Broncos Sun. Sept. 20 JACKSONVILLE Noon CBS and the first in 48 years. The last time was a 30-17 Oilers loss at Denver in Sun. Sept. 27 at Minnesota Noon CBS 1972, preceded by an Oilers home win in 1966. Sun. Oct. 4 PITTSBURGH Noon CBS The Titans, who are opening on the road for the third consecutive year, are 31-29 all-time on Kickoff Weekend, including an 11-10 mark in the Titans Sun. Oct. 11 BUFFALO Noon* CBS era, which began in 1999. In 2019, they ended a three-game losing skid in Sun. Oct. 18 HOUSTON Noon* CBS Week 1 contests with a victory at Cleveland. Sun. Oct. 25 Bye Another Titans franchise first will occur in Denver: No fans will be present Sun. Nov. 1 at Cincinnati Noon* CBS at the game. The Broncos, in collaboration with the state of Colorado, made Sun. Nov. 8 CHICAGO Noon* FOX the decision to not have fans present at home games for the start of their Thur. Nov. 12 INDIANAPOLIS 7:20 p.m. FOX/NFLN/ season due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Titans and the city of Nashville Amazon announced a similar decision for the Titans’ home opener next week against Sun. Nov. 22 at Baltimore Noon* CBS the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sun. Nov. 29 at Indianapolis Noon* CBS THE BROADCAST Sun. Dec. 6 CLEVELAND Noon* CBS ESPN will broadcast the game to a national Sun. Dec. 13 at Jacksonville Noon* CBS audience, while the telecast also can be seen locally Sat./Sun. Dec. 19/20 DETROIT TBD TBD in Nashville on WZTV FOX 17. The broadcast team Sun. Dec. 27 at Green Bay 7:20 p.m.* NBC includes play-by-play announcer Steve Levy, analysts Sun. Jan. 3 at Houston Noon* CBS Brian Griese and Louis Riddick, reporter Lisa Salters, and officiating analyst John Parry. All kickoff times Central * Time, TV subject to change Fans can livestream the game on their mobile devices from the Titans Mobile App (iOS and Android) and on TennesseeTitans.com mobile web. Restrictions apply. For more information AFC SOUTH STANDINGS visit TennesseeTitans.com or NFL.com/ways-to-watch. The Titans Radio Network, including Nashville flagship 104.5 The Zone, TEAM W L T PCT DIV CONF will carry the game across the Mid-South with the “Voice of the Titans” Mike Tennessee Titans 0 0 0 - 0-0 0-0 Keith, analyst Dave McGinnis, sideline reporter Amie Wells, and gameday Jacksonville Jaguars 0 0 0 - 0-0 0-0 hosts Rhett Bryan and Jonathan Hutton. Additionally, Westwood One Sports will broadcast the game to a Indianapolis Colts 0 0 0 - 0-0 0-0 national radio audience. Play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan and analyst Houston Texans 0 0 0 - 0-0 0-0 will have the call. Kurt Warner THIS WEEK (central time): Hou at KC (Thu 8:20), Ind at Jax (Sun 12:00), Ten at Den (Mon 9:20) TAKING THE NEXT STEP Following a virtual offseason program and a training camp with no NEXT WEEK (central time): Bal at Hou (Sun 12:00), Min at Ind preseason games as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Titans are (Sun 12:00), Jax at Ten (Sun 12:00) set to face an opponent for the first time since walking off the field in last season’s AFC Championship Game at Kansas City, where a memorable run was cut short one victory shy of the Super Bowl. Head coach Mike Vrabel’s team earned a wild card berth and then went on the road to knock off the New England Patriots and the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens in the first two playoff rounds, respectively, before being ousted by the eventual Super Bowl TennesseeTitans.com/Media Week 1: Titans at Broncos Page 2 of 97 champion Chiefs. round pick. Brown finished first among all NFL rookies in receiving yards Tennessee achieved its fourth consecutive winning record and its (1,051), and he tied for the rookie lead in touchdown receptions (eight). second playoff berth in four seasons since controlling owner Amy Adams Among all players, his 20.2-yard receiving average ranked second (20.4 by Strunk hired Jon Robinson as general manager. With 9-7 finishes every Mike Williams). At the conclusion of the season, Brown finished third in AP year since 2016, the Titans enter 2020 with the NFL’s fourth-longest active Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. streak of winning records. Only the New England Patriots (19), the Seattle In total, the Titans return 10 of their 11 regular offensive starters from Seahawks (eight) and the Chiefs (seven) have longer such streaks. last season. The lone exception is at right tackle, where veteran Dennis Early in the 2020 offseason, the Titans signed several free agents to Kelly is first on the depth chart to begin the season. address depth and provide veteran competition at key spots. Included in The offensive coaching staff remains intact, as Arthur Smith enters GAME PREVIEW the signings were former Atlanta Falcons outside linebacker Vic Beasley his second year as offensive coordinator after an impressive debut. The Jr., former Falcons defensive lineman Jack Crawford and former Houston 2019 Titans ranked third in the NFL in rushing (138.9 yards per game), first Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph. in red zone efficiency (75.6 touchdown percent), fourth in yards per play Two significant free agent acquisitions—outside linebackerJadeveon (6.12) and tied for third in total touchdowns (54). Over their final 10 games Clowney and kicker Stephen Gostkowski—joined the Titans much later (Week 7-17), they ranked third in both scoring (30.4 points per game) and in the year. Clowney agreed to terms with the Titans on Sept. 6, only eight total offense (406.2 yards per game). days before the season opener. A three-time Pro Bowl selection (2016-18), The vast majority of key contributors on defense return as well. The Clowney spent his first five seasons with the Texans before being traded unit’s major statistical leaders in 2019 were safety Kevin Byard (five to the Seattle Seahawks in 2019. With 32 career sacks, he also is one of interceptions), outside linebacker Harold Landry III (nine sacks) and inside only three NFL players with at least 60 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles linebacker Rashaan Evans (139 tackles), and all three are back in their and 150 quarterback pressures since 2016, along with Aaron Donald and same roles. Chandler Jones. Despite little turnover in defensive personnel, the defense does face The addition of Gostkowski was announced on Sept. 3. The veteran of significant changes to its leadership structure. After running the defense for TEAM NOTES 14 previous seasons with the New England Patriots earned four Pro Bowl two seasons, during which time the Titans finished second in the NFL in selections and three Super Bowl rings during his time in New England. His points allowed per game (19.3), former defensive coordinator Dean Pees 87.4 percentage on field goals (374 of 428) ranks fifth in NFL history. announced his retirement on Jan. 20. Vrabel, who served as the defensive The 2020 NFL Draft provided the Titans six total additions, beginning coordinator for the Houston Texans prior to his arrival in Tennessee, did not with Georgia offensive tackleIsaiah Wilson with the 29th overall pick in the name a new defensive coordinator upon Pees’ departure. first round. The draft class also includes second-round cornerbackKristian Additionally, the Titans have hired a new secondary coach and a Fulton (Louisiana State) and third-round running back Darrynton Evans new inside linebackers coach. Veteran coaches Anthony Midget and Jim (Appalachian State). Haslett were picked by Vrabel for those respective positions. BUILDING BLOCKS VRABEL IN YEAR 3 Perhaps Robinson’s two most critical moves since the AFC In his first two seasons with the Titans, Vrabel led the team to 20 total Championship were locking up a pair of the team’s own free agents with wins—18 in the regular season and two in the playoffs. It amounted to the new, multi-year contracts—quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back second-highest win total in franchise history in a head coach’s first two PLAYER NOTES PLAYER Derrick Henry. years (Jack Pardee, 21 wins), and Vrabel became the organization’s first Tannehill, acquired in a trade with the Miami Dolphins, was a catalyst head coach to win multiple playoff games within the first two years. for the team’s resurgence in 2019, taking control as the starter in Week 7 Since the NFL’s current 12-team playoff format began in 1990, the and finishing the campaign with a league-best 117.5 passer rating. He was Titans became only the third team to advance to a conference championship named to his first Pro Bowl and voted the NFL’s Comeback Player of the game after beginning the season with a record of 2-4 or worse (2002 Titans Year.