After a historic 16-tackle debut, the rookie linebacker prioritizes team results over record-breaking stats following a tough loss to the Jets, signaling a promising culture shift in Tennessee.
If was talked about all week leading up to the game on Sunday.
The Tennessee Titans were going to have to make a tough decision after Cedric Gray was ruled out with a concussion. They could go with a player from the practice squad or give rookie Anthony Hill Jr. a chance to prove himself.
Hill impressed the Titans in the preseason. He had a breakout game against the Seattle Seahawks, recording seven total tackles and one interception.
Afterward, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said he wanted to see more consistency from the rookie.
Hill got his chance and played really well. He led the Titans with 11 total tackles in the first half, which was the most by a rookie in their debut in franchise history.
Hil was everywhere at once, finishing with 16 total tackles. He would've had a fumble recovery deep in New York Jets territory if it hadn't been called off after a booth review.
It's great that Hill delivered a solid performance in his debut, but the team struggled either way.
The Titans lost 23-10, and the defense didn't really have an answer for what the Jets were trying to do on offense. There was a 19-play drive in the first half where the Jets kept the defense on the field by running the ball.
In the locker room after the game, Hill wasn't focused on his personal stats. He would've liked it better if the team had won. No amount of personal glory can replace that.
"I say it really don't matter," Hill said. "Like, at the end of the day, you just want to get the win. Like, no matter how good of a day you think you had, if you lose, it's like, who cares? Like, it doesn't really matter."
We see it so often in today's NFL, where players just care about how they do and not the team.
It makes sense that those teams typically don't win many games with those kinds of personalities around.
The fact that Hill already understands the importance of team success over personal gain is a great sign.
If the Titans are able to recover from this Week 1 loss, it'll be because of players like Hill on defense.
The Titans were disappointing, but they have another chance to redeem themselves on Sept. 20 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kickoff is set for noon CT on Fox.
