Tennessee Titans: Ryan Tannehill shoots down QB competition talk

Tennessee Titans backup quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, has shot down the notion that there is a quarterback controversy in Nashville.

If there was a quarterback competition on the Tennessee Titans, it’s news to backup quarterback, Ryan Tannehill.

Tannehill was predictably the second quarterback to enter the game on Thursday night, and he had another solid showing. Tannehill completed seven of his 11 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.

When asked what he thought about the notion that he could begin the season as the Titans’ starter instead of Marcus Mariota, Tannehill shot it down, per Buck Reising of A to Z Sports Nashville.

“I don’t think that’s an option at this point. I’m Just going out and competing against the defense that’s out there each and every play, and executing the best calls I can.”

When asked about the discussion going on in the national media, Tannehill had this to say.

“I didn’t know it was a story. I don’t really listen to the media, sorry guys.”

Of course, the talk of a quarterback competition on the Titans was silly to begin with and only started because Tannehill had bigger numbers than Mariota in the first preseason game. That’s all it took for the national media to create this phony narrative.

Anyone who says it is based on more than that is not telling the truth. There was absolutely zero talk about this in the media before the preseason started.

The worst part of it all is that the people peddling this garbage don’t spend a second paying attention to the Titans. If they did, they would know that head coach, Mike Vrabel, and general manager, Jon Robinson, have clearly stated that Mariota is the starter.

Will this, and Mariota’s solid performance on Saturday night, be enough for the media to finally drop this narrative?

We can’t be sure, but because some in the media never lets facts get in the way of a juicy story, there’s definitely a chance this nonsense lingers. And, the longer it lingers, the more wrong those outsiders will look, as their already tainted credibility dwindles down to nothing.

The only thing that’s really important is that those of us in the know who actually follow the Titans on a daily basis know the truth, as do the actual players involved.

As Mariota said during this past week, the only competition he has for the starting job is with himself, and Tannehill has confirmed that.