Tennessee Titans center Ben Jones is making his first career appearance at the Pro Bowl in 2023, which is long overdue after having an impressive career over 11 seasons.
Jones has consistently been one of the better centers in the NFL during his time in Nashville, as well as one of the most durable, as he’s only missed multiple games in a season once, which came in 2022.
Unfortunately, Jones suffered multiple concussions over the course of the campaign, which ultimately ended his season after just 12 games. Prior to 2022, Jones had missed just one game over his entire career.
The multiple concussions has led Titans fans and media to speculate that perhaps the 33-year-old might hang up his cleats.
Jones, who has one more year left on his contract, says he wants to keep playing, but only if he can maintain the high level of performance we’ve grown accustomed to over the years.
“My mindset now is: It’s an offseason, so how do I prepare like a normal offseason?” Jones said, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “It’s getting some surgeries, getting healthy. So, when [training] camp comes around, if I am able to go and ready to roll, I am able to go out there and do it.
“My whole thing is: Spend time with the family, get healthy, and get ready to play football like I always do. If I am able to still play at a high level, I would love to keep playing. If not, grandfather time does happen, and we’ll see what is best for our family.”
As far as the Pro Bowl is concerned, Jones says he’s honored to be taking part in his first
“I’ve played in this league now 11 years, so getting this opportunity to fellowship with these guys and being around all these guys who all work so hard, it has been amazing,” Jones said. “You want to win things as a team, but being named to the Pro Bowl, it is a great honor to be acknowledged for this.
“And it means a little more at the end of your career because it shows you put some consistency together, doing it for this long of a time. Just getting rewarded here at the end is special.”
Jones’ decision will be a big one.
If he returns, the Titans keep their stalwart on an offensive line that needs a revamp and will only have to replace two to three spots, depending on if Nate Davis leaves in free agency.
If Jones retires, the Titans could have up to four spots to fill upfront, which is less than ideal for a team that won’t exactly be flush with cap space.
