Titans won't change their pre-game midfield ritual

By John Glennon

When the Titans take the field during pre-game introductions in Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, coach Mike Vrabel expects it to be a business-as-usual situation.

“Our players will run out there to midfield like they've done since I've been here,” Vrabel said. “They'll break it down and come over to the sidelines and I'll make some last-minute adjustments or talk to some of the assistants. We'll go from there.”

Why would this Sunday be any different than the routine the Titans have followed for years?

Because it will be the Titans' first game since Ravens coach John Harbaugh drew national attention to Tennessee's pre-game ritual of gathering at the midfield logo and “breaking it down,” getting themselves emotionally ready for the upcoming contest.

An irked Harbaugh, flanked by a Ravens assistant, took offense to the proceedings last Sunday, approaching Titans players on the field and starting a war of words with Titans cornerback Malcolm Butler. That in turn led to the arrival of Vrabel and an animated discussion – Vrabel telling Harbaugh to “Go coach!” and Harbaugh responding “It's disrespectful!” – as officials separated the pack.

The lively moment prompted CBS broadcaster Ian Eagle to say he'd “never seen a scene like that before.”

https://twitter.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/1331836250425356288?s=20

But while the emotional . . .

This is a premium article, and you've reached the end of the free preview.

The rest of this content is restricted to Broadway Insiders. Register for an Broadway Insider Pass to view this post in its entirety.

If you're not ready to unlock everything Broadway Sports has to offer, you can return to our home page and view all the free content available right at your fingertips.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS	STANDARD (FREE)	BSM INSIDER PASS ($6.99/mo)
Comments on Articles	✔︎	✔︎
BSM Podcast Network	✔︎	✔︎
Access to Free Articles and Videos	✔︎	✔︎
ALL Premium Articles		✔︎
EARLY Access to Select Written, Video and Audio Content		✔︎
EXCLUSIVE Access to the full Mike Herndon Show		✔︎
PRIVATE Invitations to Livestreams and Q&A's		✔︎
EXCLUSIVE Access to the New Broadway Morning Newsletter		✔︎
EXCLUSIVE Invitation to Private Fantasy Leagues and Competitions		✔︎

Register New Account

Username

First Name

Last Name

Password

Password Again

Choose one of the following:

Standard - free - unlimited
A standard membership is required for participating in comments and forums.
Monthly Broadway Insider Pass - $6.99 - 1 Month
Access all premium content on the site. Automatically renews each month. LIMITED TIME OFFER: Use code "insider" to get your first month for only $0.99. After the first month, Monthly payments of $6.99/mo will resume.
Yearly Broadway Insider Pass - $69.99 - 1 Year
Access all premium content on the site. Annual commitments receive a 15% savings ($5.83/month). LIMITED TIME OFFER: Use code "annual" to get your first year for only $49.99. After the first year, payments of $69.99/year will resume.
Heimerdinger Foundation: Monthly All-Access Pass - $9.99 - 1 Month
Broadway Sports is proud to partner with The Heimerdinger Foundation for this special membership. 25% of proceeds from this level is donated directly to the foundation.

Discount Code - Valid - Invalid

I agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Author: John GlennonMulti-media journalist with extensive expertise covering the NFL, NHL, professional soccer and more, including the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators for The Tennessean with articles, videos and podcasts. Strengths include the ability to write quick, concise and thorough analysis, as well as the ability to uncover unique human-interest stories. In working as a reporter, John developed skills that extend beyond the sports journalism world. An efficient and effective communicator, John is confident, calm and productive under deadline pressure and knows the power of the written word. John brings to Broadway Sports a work ethic second to none, an intellectual hunger, and an ability to inform and entertain readers, viewers and listeners. Reach out directly to John at: