The Tennessee Titans made a tough business decision on Monday afternoon after they decided to part ways with two-time All-Pro safety, Kevin Byard.
To say Byard is one of the greatest players and leaders in Titans history would be an understatement.
You could make a strong argument that he’s the best defender to ever wear the two-tone blue. At the very least, he’s in the top three, along with Keith Bulluck and Jevon Kearse.
The man known by many as the “Mayor of Murfreesboro” led all safeties in the NFL in interceptions over the last seven seasons, recording a total of 28 since he took over as a full-time starter prior to the 2017 season. He led the league in interceptions that very same year, also.
The veteran safety truly had some incredible moments in Tennessee, including his first pick-six in a dominant defensive showdown against the eventual NFC Champion Rams in 2021, the playoff interception against the Ravens in 2019, and his three-pick performance against the Browns in 2017.
.@KevinByard’s DPOY Résumé:
•40 Tackles
•11 PBUs (3rd in NFL)
• 5 INTs (2nd in NFL/No. 1 Safety)
• 1 FF
• 1 FR TD
• 1 Pick-6
•Reception % = 48
•Passer rating when targeted = 50.7
•PFF grade = 91.2 (1st)
•Coverage grade = 91.3 (1st)
•Run-defense grade = 80.8 (1st)#DPOY pic.twitter.com/aaRD0x3s8u— Shaun Calderon (@ShaunMichaels31) November 11, 2021
However, my personal favorite memory came in the Monday night game in 2018, the first game I ever attended in which the Titans actually won.
After the team got off to a horrendous start, Byard made a spectacular play in the Cowboys’ end zone, beating the receiver to the spot and high-pointing the football for a game-changing interception. That play single-handedly changed the momentum of the game in the Titans’ favor.
Immediately after, Byard went to midfield and stood right in the middle of the Cowboys’ logo. It’s almost as if he was officially declaring himself a bona fide superstar which, to be perfectly honest, he already was to Titans fans.
But at that point, it was on full display for the rest of the country to see.
No. 14
Kevin Byard makes a big play that changes the momentum in a sloppy start for the Titans offense. @KB31_Era showed the #Cowboys who’s house it was and @terrellowens who’s Star it was by standing on the oh so controversial, Dallas Star.#TitanUp #OurHouse #Titans pic.twitter.com/x3SPmnXDQw
— It's Titans Time (@itsTitansTime) February 10, 2019
The biggest shame in all of this is how we’ll have to now watch Byard chase a much-deserved championship in another uniform. He had several chances to do it in Tennessee from 2019- 2021, but it just wasn’t meant to be, unfortunately.
Regardless, Byard deserves to have his name in the Titans’ Ring of Honor whenever he officially hangs up his cleats following a dominant NFL career.
For now, all we can say is thank you for all of the fantastic memories, Kevin Byard. You’ll always have fans in Tennessee and all across the world for what you did with these seven-plus years as a Titan, both on and off the field.
