NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The poor record has taken the shine off the benchmark, but Nashville’s NFL team is nearing the completion of its 25th season as the Titans.
I remember walking around the still unfinished field at Adelphia Coliseum when Jeff Fisher took his team there the summer before it started as a reinvented franchise, with players marveling at their new home. One tugged on a nail still sticking out of the wall that would be covered with blue padding that front-row fans would lean over and slap to amp up the volume on the best days. A few others sized up the height of that wall as they contemplated the possibilities of a Music City version of a Lambeau Leap.
We’re 10 days away from the 207th regular-season home game in the venue. It’s also hosted 46 preseason games and six playoff games.
And during 212 wins and 202 losses, some remarkable players have worn the two-tone blue uniforms of the Titans and some Oilers throwbacks.
Here is my All-Time Titans 25th Anniversary Team, with each player’s years with the Titans listed. Everyone played at least 36 total games with the team since 1999. I filled out the numbers at positions based on an outline the team used when it worked on a similar project: