No. 5 biggest "What if" in Titans history: Passing on JJ Watt in the 2011 draft
Four quarterbacks were picked in the first round of the 2010 draft. Only, there was one issue. Of the four, Cam Newton, the top overall selection was the only one that had a successful career as a starter. Blaine Gabbert, who went to the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 10, has also carved a niche as a backup quarterback and is still in the league after signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 offseason. That said, the Jags envisioned Gabbert as more than just a backup quarterback.
The other two signal-callers were Christian Ponder, No. 12 by the Minnesota Vikings, and Jake Locker, who fell to the Titans at No. 8. Make no mistake, they both could sling the pigskin. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been drafted in the first round. In particular, Locker became a collegiate start at Washington, even though he had a losing record with the Huskies.
Locker spent his rookies season on the bench and dealt with several injuries in the following years, which led him to the decision to retire in 2015, citing a lack of desire to play football as the reason. Had he managed to stay healthy, who knows how long his NFL career might have lasted? Another question the Titans have probably asked themselves is why they picked Locker over left tackle Tyron Smith and defensive end J.J. Watt, who went to the Houston Texans at No. 11.
Watt called it quits early in 2023 and is a surefire first-ballot candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Imagine if he had terrorized quarterbacks for the Titans instead of having to game plan for him and look for ways to neutralize him twice a year from 2011 to 2020.