Former Titans WR Rishard Matthews weighs in on team’s QB situation
Rishard Matthews, who spent two seasons with the Tennessee Titans, gave his opinion on QBs Ryan Tannehill and Marcus Mariota.
On Wednesday, RIshard Matthews, a seven-year NFL veteran who spent two-plus seasons in the league with the Tennessee Titans, went on 102.5 The Game in Nashville to give his insight on the current quarterback situation.
Matthews was drafted in 2012 by the Miami Dolphins in the same class as Ryan Tannehill. He heaped praise onto his former teammate.
Former Titans WR Rishard Matthews on 102.5 The Game: "I've been with Ryan [Tannehill] and I feel like he's going to do a great job at demanding greatness from those guys. He's going to show up, he's going to lead vocally... At that position you've got to lead."
— 102.5 & 106.3 The Game (@1025TheGame) October 17, 2019
Matthews was not as fond of Marcus Mariota, who he spent two full seasons with between 2016 and 2017, before requesting and then being granted his release in 2018.
Rishard Matthews on Marcus Mariota: "When you're in high school & college, you can be that silent leader. When you're in the league, you're around grown men and you've got to demand greatness from them. They've got to be able to see that every day, not just every now and then."
— 102.5 & 106.3 The Game (@1025TheGame) October 17, 2019
Rishard Matthews on Marcus Mariota on 102.5 The Game: "He's so respected that..., people are forced into situations to try and baby him along the way. It's tougher for people to be real with such a respected, cool guy. At the end of the day, you're in this business to win."
— 102.5 & 106.3 The Game (@1025TheGame) October 17, 2019
This out of left field criticism of Mariota is strange for various reasons.
With Mariota as his quarterback, Matthews set career-highs in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns in 2016 as a member of the Titans. On top of that, the Titans made it to the playoffs in 2017, winning a close playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
In comparison, in his four years with Tannehill and the Dolphins, he never made it to the playoffs, let alone win a playoff game.
It just seems like a self-contradiction. He says “you’re in this business to win”, yet he was positive and complimentary of the quarterback he never won with, yet critical of the quarterback he made it to the playoffs and won a playoff game with.
Because of the way that he handled himself, most Titans fans probably don’t even want to hear his opinion on anything he has to say about the team, as the consensus feeling on Matthews is that he “quit” on the team, which, in essence, is true.
Matthews requested his release three games into the 2018 season, citing a lack of playing time and targets. He recently retired this past August after leaving training camp with the New Orleans Saints.
At any rate, Matthews has a right to an opinion, no matter how flawed that opinion may be.