Titans ignore Tom Brady and sign Ryan Tannehill to reported $118m deal

Speculation is mounting that Tom Brady may leave the New England Patriots in the coming weeks but one of his potential destinations, the Tennessee Titans, have committed their future to Ryan Tannehill.

Tannehill was named the NFL’s comeback player of the year for the 2019 season after helping take the Titans to within one game of the Super Bowl. The 31-year-old appeared destined for a career as a back-up when he was traded to the Titans from the Miami Dolphins last year. However, after he took over from starting quarterback Marcus Mariota he was a big part of Tennessee’s playoff run, during which they beat Brady’s Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. Tannehill finished the season with a league-high 117.5 quarterback rating, throwing 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also made several crucial plays on the ground.

On Sunday, the Titans confirmed that they had agreed a new multi-year contract with Tannehill. ESPN reported the deal is for four years and is worth $118m with $62m guaranteed.

“I do know I love the [Titans] organization, I love the team, I love the guys on the team, and I love the tone Coach Vrabel sets, and the vision that he has,” Tannehill said earlier this year. “I feel like we’re headed in the right direction.”

Brady’s future, meanwhile, is uncertain. Free agency opens on 18 March and multiple sources have said he does not intend to return to the Patriots, with whom he has won six Super Bowls. A number of teams have been linked with Brady, who will turn 43 in August, if he does leave the Patriots. They include the Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers. Brady has said in the past that he is capable of playing into his mid-40s and beyond.