Despite back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and outperforming fellow high-priced free agents, the Titans' lead back remains snubbed by league executives in recent rankings behind less proven talent.
I've been consistent on my support for Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard.
He had the tough task of following one of the best running backs this franchise has ever seen, Derrick Henry. Henry's impact on the Titans is well known among fans.
He is one of the few players to have rushed for 2,000 yards in a single season. He also left the Titans with the second-most career rushing yards (9,502), sitting only behind Eddie George (10,009).
Pollard was a part of the risky contracts that former Titans General Manager Ran Carthon handed out in 2024. Among Lloyd Cushenberry, L'Jarius Sneed, and Calvin Ridley, Pollard has stood out as the best of the four.
Cushenberry and Sneed couldn't stay on the field and were released this offseason. Ridley has fallen off after a 1,000-yard season in his first year with the team. Last season, Ridley played in seven games before suffering a season-ending injury.
Even before the injury, Ridley wasn't his self. He was supposed to be a WR1 and was wildly inconsistent.
Pollard has churned out consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in his two years in the Music City. He is the only other active player besides Henry to have four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
It seems he still has to earn respect around the league after a recent ESPN article. Anonymous NFL executives, coaches, and scouts ranked the league's top 10 running backs, and Pollard was noticeably absent.
The top five consisted of Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, and Jonathan Taylor. That's a pretty tough group to crack.
The last five were Henry, James Cook, De'Von Achane, Kenneth Walker III and Breece Hall. For Henry and Cook, I don't think Pollard could top either of them at the moment.
However, Achane and Hall just had their first 1,000-yard seasons in 2025. Pollard wasn't even among the honorable mentions, which contained Josh Jacobs, Kyren Williams and Quinshon Judkins.
Realistically, Pollard can't top the likes of Robinson, Gibbs, Barkley, McCaffrey, Taylor, Henry, or Cook. For Achane and Hall to be listed and for Pollard not even to be considered is flat-out disrespectful.
The fact that Pollard isn't at least an honorable mention tells you everything you need to know about how he's viewed in the NFL.
From what we've heard from Pollard this offseason, this won't bother him. He was asked whether he had paid attention to the rumors about the Titans drafting Jeremiyah Love and said that it didn't affect him.
That's a credit to the kind of person Pollard is.
This could come down to the Titans being a small-market team, but Pollard has done more than enough to earn respect, in my opinion.
The 2026 season will be pivotal for Pollard, as it's the last year of his contract with the Titans. If the Titans don't re-sign him when his current deal is up, expect a long list of suitors competing for his signature.
Even after everything he's done, it seems Pollard still has to earn respect.
