Former Tennessee Titans DC Dick LeBeau praises Kevin Byard
Former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau praised safety Kevin Byard during an interview on Friday.
One of the highest forms of praise you can get as a defensive player in the NFL is when former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau compliments you—and that’s exactly the form of praise Titans safety Kevin Byard from his old coach.
Not only is LeBeau in the Hall of Fame as a player, he is one of the most well-respected minds on defense in the history of the game. He knows a thing or two about great players and got to see Byard firsthand.
So, when he heaped praise on Byard in an interview on the Midday 180 show with Jonathan Hutton, Chad Withrow and Paul Kuharsky, it only adds to Byard’s legitimacy as a truly special player.
Dick LeBeau: "It was fun to watch him prosper and grow and be productive as a young player. When Coach put him on the black board, I believe he did the best job in that kind of interview of anyone that I had ever talked too. Grasped instantly what we were doing." - On @KB31_Era
— OutKick 360 (@Outkick360) August 2, 2019
What LeBeau’s quote tells you is that Byard also has the brains to be a great football player; this isn’t just about raw talent alone.
The 25-year-old understands how the defense works and clearly he’s a student of the game. When you combine that with what he can do physically on the field, you have the best safety in the NFL.
And it’s another reason why the disrespect Byard gets is frustrating. Maybe it’s a Tennessee thing, but if Byard was playing in New York, you’d hear nonstop about how great he is.
Instead, he gets snubbed from the NFL Top 100 list, and Deion Sanders has no clue who the hell he is after Byard finished tied for the NFL lead in interceptions in 2017.
No matter the disrespect he gets, it doesn’t change the fact that Byard is a one-of-a-kind player, who combines talent, intelligence, leadership, and a humble nature to check all the boxes.
And when an NFL lifer like LeBeau, who was around the pro game for nearly 60 years as a player and coach, tells you Byard is special, there’s no denying that it’s true.