Jason McCourty Anxious to return to Tennessee Titans lineup
By Les Bailey
Tennessee Titans veteran cornerback Jason McCourty has spent most of the 2015 training camp on the sideline with a groin injury and is “biting at the bit” to get back on the field, and back to work according to titansonline senior editor, Jim Wyatt.
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“I hate missing practice’’
With six seasons in Music City under his belt and entering his seventh, the 6th round draft pick in 2009 hasn’t missed a start in three years, and is tired of working on his conditioning. McCourty has also worked the ropes on the sideline while his teammates are on the field.
“That is a meathead workout,’’ he said. “So it’s not too much fun.
“I hate missing practice’’ McCourty continued. “I think no matter how long you have been in the league, everybody needs it. So it is killing me not to be out there. I am just trying to make up by doing other things to keep my conditioning up and just talking to the guys. I think there is always a need from a leadership standpoint and chemistry standpoint to be out there so I hate the fact I can’t be out there.”
With another good season in 2014, Jason McCourty was a solid performer on a team that was really bad. He turned in 85 combined tackles with two forced fumbles, and three interceptions.
In fact, Jason outperformed his twin brother Devon with the world champion New England Patriots who had 68 combined tackles two forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Jason’s team went 2-14 and Devon has a new Super Bowl ring.
Of course, both went to Rutgers and Devon was taken in the first round by the Pats in 2010.
Jason’s career with the Titans has included 421 tackles and 11 interceptions.
We didn’t see Jason in the preseason opener against the Falcons on Thursday night, and his presence was missed in the first quarter when first string quarterback Matt Ryan and Roddy White marched the ball down the field and logged the game’s first score.
It’s unlikely that we will see McCourty on the field Sunday night at Nissan Stadium when the Titans welcome former head coach Jeff Fisher back to Nashville.
Head coach Ken Whisenhunt isn’t worried about his first-team cornerback being ready to play at a top level when he returns, and as usual, looks at McCourty’s injury as an opportunity for other players in the secondary to get more snaps.
“I don’t worry about it from the standpoint of playing,’’ Whisenhunt said of McCourty. “I would just like him to be out here because he was playing so well. It’s good for our receivers to go against him, it’s good for competition. So hopefully that will be soon.”
McCourty agrees that at this point he is not ready to step back on the field and understands the importance of being fully healed before he get back in the lineup.
“But I am not ready to be out there right now, so it is just a matter of when it is fully recovered and when I’ll be ready 100 percent,’’ he said. “As soon as I can I will be out there doing footwork, and whatever I can. I absolutely hate this.”
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