Titans WR Carnell Tate Relieved to Get Elusive First NFL Win

Tennessee Titans receiver Carnell Tate has not been used to this much losing. 

At Ohio State, he never lost more than two games from 2023-25. With the Titans, they were 0-5 heading into Week 6 and desperately needed a win. 

The team finally pulled it together and got that elusive first road win. The Titans beat the Indianapolis Colts 26-20, securing their first win over them since 2022 and snapping an 11-game losing streak against AFC South opponents. 

Tate played a big part in the win. He made a huge contested catch in the second half and caught a touchdown pass from Cam Ward to tie the game at 13 in the fourth quarter. 

Tate finished with 80 receiving yards and one touchdown on Sunday. 

You could feel the franchise take a collective breath with the win. Realistically, the Titans should be 3-3. If they had made a few more plays in the games against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants, the Titans would have walked away with wins. 

It's unfortunate that it took the Titans this long to get their first win, but it will be celebrated all the same. 

You could tell Tate was relieved to finally win an NFL game, since he's not accustomed to this much losing. 

"It felt good," Tate said. "I've been doing it at the collegiate level. It finally feels good to do it at the NFL level." 

Tate expanded on the relief he felt after the win. He highlighted the importance of stacking these kinds of performances throughout the season. 

"It feels good," Tate said. "We just gotta go out there and stack from this win to the next win." 

Tate has continued to prove that he was the right decision for the Titans in the 2026 NFL Draft. He was on the verge of breaking out in Week 3 after leading the team with 58 receiving yards. 

On tape, he got open far more than the Titans were willing to throw to him. He saw more targets in Week 4, and it paid off. He led the team with 145 receiving yards on nine receptions against the Baltimore Ravens. 

He didn't play as well against the Houston Texans last week, but that was more because the offense struggled than because of him. Tate showed that last game was a fluke and continued to make big plays for the Titans against the Colts, not just with that one touchdown catch. 

The decision to take Tate No. 4 overall drew heavy criticism, given the players still on the board. Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese were both still available, but General Manager Mike Borgonzi couldn't let a player like Tate slip through his fingers. 

The Titans trusted their gut and went with the player they thought was the best available after Jeremiyah Love went off the board at No. 3 overall. 

Tate continues to prove that he can be a No. 1 WR in the NFL week after week. If you didn't have belief in Tate when the Titans picked him, you certainly do now.