On Wednesday, Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson was scheduled to speak before the NFL Scouting Combine and he didn’t disappoint.
Robinson covered everything from the strengths of the 2022 NFL Draft to Ryan Tannehill’s future (again), but what happened after his official press conference was even more interesting.
The video below shows exactly what happened, but it is clear that Robinson cares about this franchise, and he cares in a way that most GMs just don’t. When most GMs are hired, they are given a quick briefing on the history and traditions of the fan bases that they will be answering to in their new role.
When Jon Robinson was hired, he could have probably told half of the people in that room more about the Titans than they could tell him.
How can you not love and feel the passion that @Titans GM Jon Robinson has for this team #Titans https://t.co/poG3wRwaVz
— Titans Radio (@titansradio) March 2, 2022
You see, Jon Robinson grew up in West Tennessee, specifically in Union City. He was here when Bud Adams moved the Oilers from Houston and when the “Tennessee Titans” were officially created.
He grew up watching other NFL teams and wanting a team of his own in Tennessee and against all odds, he actually got that. Not only did a team actually move just hours away from his house, but he would be running that team in a few decades.
Robinson has all of the passion of a fan and the calculated decision-making of a GM who cut his teeth in war rooms with Bill Belichick. If you asked Titans fans to dream up their perfect GM candidate back in 2010 then they wouldn’t have dreamed of Robinson because no one could have imagined that there was someone with his background in the league.
He is more than just a Tennessee Titans fan
Having said that, if Robinson was just a Titans fan who wasn’t great at his job then he would have been packing his bags years ago. Just being a fan of the team doesn’t earn you a pass with the fans and it certainly doesn’t earn you a pass from Amy Adams Strunk.
Luckily for him (and for the franchise), he has been an incredible GM during his run with the Titans. He has pulled QBs out of thin air, drafted Hall of Famers, snagged big fish in free agency, made blockbuster trades, and most importantly he has helped build a team that has gone to the playoffs in four of the last five years including three-straight trips.
Only one team in the NFL can say that they have a GM with the mind to consistently bring in Pro Bowl player talent and the heart of a true fan. That description belongs to Jon Robinson and the reigning AFC South Champions the Tennessee Titans.