Titans Get Unwelcome Distraction Ahead of NFL Trade Deadline

Just when it looked like the Tennessee Titans were finally going to get that awful Calvin Ridley contract off the books, news broke on X late Sunday night. 

During the second half of Sunday Night Football, WKRN News 2's Erin McCullough reported that Ridley had an incident at the Nashville Airport. The Titans said that they were made aware of the situation, but didn't comment any further than that. 

Then, more information came out thanks to AtoZ Sports' Easton Freeze and Austin Stanley.

Ridley was attempting to get his car from the airport valet. The valet lost his ticket, and this angered Ridley. Things eventually escalated verbally, and the valet wasn't willing to give the keys back because they couldn't identify Ridley's vehicle. 

Ridley tried to snatch the keys out of the valet's hands, which resulted in a cut. The valet tried to press charges, and it's unsure whether the charges have been officially filed at this moment. 

As a refresher, Ridley is on a four-year deal worth $92 million. The contract seemed like an overpay at the time, and it definitely is now. 

He has underperformed after getting off to that great start in 2024.

He had a 1,000-yard season and has looked nothing like the same receiver ever since. His 2025 season was full of drop issues, and then he broke his leg after seven games and missed the rest of the year. 

He's been used mainly as a backup receiver this season, which is even more reason for the Titans to move on from him. 

He's been the subject of trade rumors lately, with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reporting that the Titans were shopping him and wanting a quality Day 3 pick at the least. 

Tom Pelissero shared that Ridley was expected to be traded before the Nov. 10 deadline. 

That's all in jeopardy thanks to what took place at the airport. Depending on what happens next, no team may want to touch Ridley now. 

This means that the Titans would be forced to hold onto his contract for a little while longer. His contract isn't set to expire until 2028, so the Titans would still have to deal with those ramifications until then, at least. 

Let's be honest, the trade market for Ridley probably wasn't going to be full of suitors. Ridley is in his 30s now, and his production with the Titans has fallen off a cliff. 

The receiver will be 32 in December, and he hasn't even scratched the 100-yard mark this season yet. With the additions of Wan'Dale Robinson and Carnell Tate, Ridley's role has become that of a bench player for the Titans. 

Even when he's been on the field, Ridley hasn't done much. He has six receptions for 91 receiving yards. 

Things can change quickly in the NFL. After being rumored to be traded before the deadline, we'll have to wait and see exactly what comes of the situation at the airport. 

Depending on how bad it is, the Titans may release Ridley. No NFL team may want to trade for him now.

The Titans were able to get a good haul for Jeffery Simmons. Ridley was never going to get that great of draft compensation. 

Now, the Titans may not get anything for Ridley after what took place at the airport on Sunday night. 

With just one day to go before the trade deadline, the Titans may have missed out on a chance to cash in on Ridley. 

Whatever comes out of this incident is going to affect Ridley's trade value. The Titans may have wished they had gotten rid of Ridley sooner.