Sipping tea, speaking German and staying awake: Inside Tennessee Titans' 1st day in London
WATFORD, England — There was a sense of escape while standing between the rainbow chard and jumbo pink banana squash growing in Jemima's Kitchen Garden on Friday. It was interrupted by a faint echo of chirping whistles and Mike Vrabel barking directions in the distance.
Vrabel and the Tennessee Titans were at The Grove Hotel in Watford on Friday, approximately 20 miles northwest of London, as they prepare for their NFL International Series game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday (8:30 a.m., NFL Network). It's impossible to ignore the culture clash. Instead of practicing at their facility in Nashville, the Titans practiced next to The Grove's "Walled Garden," and instead of conducting interviews with a football field and goalposts behind him, Vrabel held his news conference in the "potting shed."
If he walked around the potting shed a little bit longer, he would've found a nice selection of teas. Sleepytime. Chamomile Yawn. Ginger Snap. Classic Earl. All ready to sip from a collection of green and white floral tea cups, complete with their own matching tea plates.
There's no avoiding it: The Titans are in England.
"I did have some tea," All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons admitted.
The Titans arrived in the United Kingdom early Friday morning after leaving Nashville on Thursday evening and flying through the night. There's a six-hour time difference, so Simmons was drinking tea more for the caffeine than the cultural immersion. He said he also drank some coffee, for what it's worth, but the coffee "messed him up a little bit," so he'll be avoiding it moving forward.
Staying awake is the Titans' primary concern as the sun sets in Watford. Safety Kevin Byard said he has been getting in his teammates' faces when necessary to help keep them awake and adjust to the time difference. Surprisingly, Byard says, defensive end Arden Key is one of the players taking the time adjustment the hardest, even though Key played in London last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"I’m just like ‘Hey, get up, stay up. Let’s move around,’ " Byard said. "I’ve already got his room number so I’m going to be banging on the door seeing if he’s in there sleeping."
In some ways, media day at The Grove is just like what the Titans experience at home. Running back Derrick Henry was swarmed by cameras and reporters asking him about how to break through against the Ravens' defense. In other ways, it's completely surreal.
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DeAndre Hopkins speaks German, too
For instance, a German reporter asked DeAndre Hopkins if he had a message to share for fans in Germany. Hopkins surprised the reporter and everyone in attendance by responding in conversational German, saying his name is DeAndre Hopkins and he's from Clemson, South Carolina. Turns out Hopkins took three years of German classes in high school and remembered a few things.
Trips like these are great opportunities for the players to experience foreign cultures, if they can find the time. This is quarterback Ryan Tannehill's fourth trip to London and he admits he still hasn't seen Big Ben yet. His wife and kids have; they sent him pictures from their sightseeing tour Friday. But he mostly used his trips to the U.K. to watch film, sling the football and absorb hits from defensive ends. All things he didn't need to cross an ocean to do.
Some Titans are going to go into the city Friday night. Vrabel said buses and security will be made available if they want to go see London proper. Simmons said he might go out, and Byard said going out is a great way to stay awake if his teammates need to get on the European sleep schedule.
But there are also opportunities for recreation at The Grove. The hotel grounds have a golf course and a canal with boats, on top of the garden and other hotel amenities. Byard said he'll try to play nine holes Saturday, which'll mark his first time getting to golf since the season started.
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Once the fun is had, the Titans can move on to why they're actually here. And why the media swarmed them.
"If we travel all this way, they better come out here and say hello or something," Henry said, joking. "No, it’s a cool experience. I’m glad we’re able to come up here and play football in front of a great crowd."
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nickusss.
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: DeAndre Hopkins speaks German? Tennessee Titans WR showed off in London
