The Tennessee Titans announced Wednesday that they had released offensive tackle Taylor Lewan. Lewan has played for Tennessee since 2014 and appeared in three straight Pro Bowls between 2016 and 2018.
“Thank you to every single Titan fan,” Lewan tweeted. “Whether you loved me or hated me all I’ve ever wanted was to make this city proud and help bring back a franchise.”
On Feb. 10, Lewan said that he expected the Titans to release him and that he would consider retirement if that were to occur. The tackle suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 last year, and persisting health issues are a likely motivating factor for his retirement considerations.
But on a January episode of Bussin With the Boys, a podcast he runs with former teammate Will Compton, Lewan also expressed interest in continuing his career with the Los Angeles Rams.
“I think the L.A. Rams are a team I’d be interested in,” Lewan said. “I think L.A. would be cool because (Neal) ElAttrache is their doctor … I think Sean McVay is a f——- stud. And I think it’d be a lot of fun there too.”
Lewan’s future in the NFL may be unclear, but his role in the Titans’ offense over the past nine seasons has been integral. After four seasons of college football at the University of Michigan, the Titans selected Lewan with the 11th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He became the team’s starting right tackle in 2015.
Between 2016 and 2018, Lewan became an indispensable blocker for the Titans, helping running back DeMarco Murray rush for 1,287 yards in 2016. He later blocked for Derrick Henry, who took over for Murray as the Titans’ lead rusher and blossomed into one of the best running backs in the NFL. In 2020, Henry bought his offensive lineman a pair of luxury sneakers, a clear indicator of Lewan’s importance to his success.
Following his release Wednesday, the Titans released a tribute video thanking Lewan for his tenure with the team.
