Titans RB Tyjae Spears wants to see both him and Tony Pollard finish in 'top-5 best backs this year'

For the last few years, opposing defenses had to contend with Derrick Henry when facing the Tennessee Titans, with the running back serving as the main workhorse for most of his time with the team.

But Henry has moved on to Baltimore, and under a new coaching staff the Titans have shifted their approach to a two-man tandem in the backfield, with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears expected to split snaps.

Recently, Pollard expressed his anticipation for his pairing with Spears, describing it as a “nice one-two punch” for the Titans offense. However, his teammate was even more optimistic in his comments this week.

Spears, while speaking to the media from OTAs on Wednesday, expressed his belief that both players should aim to top the running back rankings in 2024.

Spears expressed, “We are merely challenging each other because we desire the best. I aspire to see both of us among the top-five rushers, the top-five best backs this year. Given the O-line we possess, we can achieve those heights. However, we need to continuously push each other, and it begins now.”

Indeed, those goals are high, but without a doubt, there lies a significant opportunity for the duo as they step into the limelight of Tennessee’s running game.

Spears is now in his second year, having been a third-round pick in the 2023 draft. Despite being the second running back behind Henry in his rookie year, Spears managed to rack up 100 carries for 453 yards and two touchdowns.

Conversely, Pollard is a seasoned player who has spent five years with the Cowboys. During much of that period, he shared snaps with his teammates, but secured a regular starting position in 2023. That year, he achieved his second consecutive season with over 1,000 rushing yards.

Though the pair come in with different backgrounds, the Titans’ coaching staff see similarities in their skill sets. Running back coach Randy Jordan said recently that he sees both players acting as dual-threat backs, fitting into the scheme as consistent pass-catching options out of the backfield.

In his rookie season, Spears had 52 receptions for 385 yards, placing him third and fourth on the team in those categories. Pollard also made significant contributions to the Cowboys’ passing game, with a total of 176 catches, 1,319 yards, and five touchdowns during his tenure in Dallas.

Head coach Brian Callahan conveyed his enthusiasm for the possible opportunities the dual-threat duo could provide the offense in his inaugural year as coach. He has the option to position both players in various areas throughout the offense.

“Both of them are unique, and I am eager to utilize them in various ways,” said Callahan. “Tony possesses excellent acceleration and explosiveness when handling the ball. Tyjae also has similar traits, but in addition, he has outstanding agility in short areas. Pairing these guys against linebackers in the passing game can be highly advantageous for us. Their ability to run routes like receivers, which is unusual, makes them difficult to cover.”

We don’t often encounter guys like them, and we have two of them.