Titans OT Nicholas Petit-Frere Suspended For Six Games For Gambling

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Nicholas Petit-Frere. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

The NFL has suspended Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere for the team’s first six regular season games of the 2023 season for betting on non-NFL sports at the club facility.

“We have been made aware of Nick’s suspension by the league,” the Titans said in an official statement. “We believe in Nick and know that he has deep respect for the integrity of the game and our organization. We will continue to emphasize to our players the importance of understanding and adhering to league rules and policies.”

Petit-Frere was set to start his second season with the Titans and was going to be a starter on what is a rebuilding offensive line.

“Firstly I wanted to say that it’s an honor to play in the NFL and has been a blessing to play this game,” Petit-Frere said in a statement released to ESPN. “The NFL plans to announce another round of sanctions regarding its gambling policies and I will be included in this group of players receiving a six-game suspension. The betting I engaged in was NOT NFL related and was legal under Tennessee law. It is only being sanctioned because it occurred at the Titans facility. I want to apologize to my family, coaches, teammates and Titans fans. I have always strived in every stage of my life to follow the rules. I did not knowingly break the rules. Even after attending a league presentation, I was unaware about the specifics around placing bets from a team facility. I will do everything in my power to help the team during training camp and will be prepared when I return to the roster during the season.”

A third-round draft pick of the Titans in the 2022 NFL Draft, Petit-Frere started 16 games at right tackle during his rookie season.

The gambling policy, which is annually reviewed with all NFL personnel, including players, prohibits anyone in the NFL from engaging in any form of gambling in any club or league facility or venue, including the practice facility.

Nashville To Host SEC Football Media Days & Free Kickoff Concert

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The SEC and Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp (NCVC) have announced that Nashville will host a SEC Kickoff presented by Regions with a free concert from Grammy-nominated band Midland on July 18, as the city hosts SEC Football Media Days for the first time.

 The media event will take place on Lower Broadway starting at 5 p.m. CT, and will be part of a special edition of SEC Nation presented by Regions telecast on ESPN2 and SEC Network at 6 p.m. CT. The street concert will follow at approximately 7 p.m.

“We are excited to bring SEC Football Media Days to Nashville as we kick off the 2023 season,” says Greg Sankey, SEC Commissioner. “When we began moving SEC Media Days to new locations, we wanted to enjoy the experiences uniquely present in each community and we look forward to the Tuesday night concert blending Music City with SEC Football.”

The concert stage will be located near Fourth and Broadway and is the first time SEC Media Days has incorporated a street party and live music concert into their event. The concert is free and open to the public.

“Partnering with the SEC to host this high-profile event is both an honor and opportunity for our city,” says Butch Spyridon, CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “We are adding live music to give the event a Music City touch, and we hope it’s only the beginning of a long-lasting relationship. We want all the SEC fans in Middle Tennessee to come out, represent their teams and enjoy a free show right in their backyard.”

The 2023 Football Kickoff presented by Regions event will bring more than 1,000 credentialed media members to Nashville and the host venue, Grand Hyatt. The annual event previews the upcoming college football season with coaches and players from each SEC school providing overviews of their teams. The gathering was held in Hoover, Alabama for many years, and this is only the third time the SEC has taken it to another city.

Vanderbilt Football’s SEC Opponents Announced For 2024

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Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt football’s SEC opponents for the 2024 season have been announced.

The Commodores are slated to host rival Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina and newcomer Texas, and will travel to Kentucky, Missouri, Auburn and LSU in 2024.

The SEC announced the league would play eight conference games as Texas and Oklahoma join the league. In addition to the eight games, each SEC team plays at least one non-conference opponent from a Power Five conference or a major independent in 2024. Vanderbilt will host Virginia Tech at FirstBank Stadium to open the season.

The schedules were based on traditional opponents and a balanced strength of schedule. Tennessee and Kentucky are two of the most common opponents in Vanderbilt history. The 2024 season will mark the 119th meeting between the Commodores and Volunteers, while Vandy and Kentucky will meet for the 97th time (Vanderbilt plays both in 2023).

As members of the SEC East, South Carolina and Vanderbilt have met annually since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992, while Missouri and Vanderbilt have played annually since the Tigers’ admittance to the league in 2012.

Alabama will travel to Nashville for the first time since 2017 and the second time since 2007. The teams last met in 2022 in Tuscaloosa. Vanderbilt will visit LSU for the first time since 2009. The teams met in both 2019 and 2020 in Nashville. Auburn and Vandy are set for their 44th meeting in 2023, with the Commodores’ first visit since 2016.

Vanderbilt leads the all-time series with Texas, 8-3-1, but the teams have not met since 1928. The 2024 season will mark Texas’ first trip to Vandy since 1925.

The 2023 Vanderbilt football season opens on Aug. 26 when Hawaii visits FirstBank Stadium.

Titans Punter Brett Kern Announces His Retirement

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Brett Kern. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

Former Titans punter Brett Kern is retiring from professional football after a 15-year career, 12 of which he spent in Nashville.

During his playing days with the Titans, Kern became one of the most productive punters in the NFL, setting numerous club records and cementing himself as one of the best directional punters in league history. Kern, who played at the University of Toledo, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Denver Broncos in 2008. He played 22 games with the Broncos before being released. He was claimed off waivers by the Titans midway through the 2009 campaign and the rest is history.

“It’s hard to come up with the words, and the amount of thankfulness that I have for so much,” Kern said on Titans.com. “I am so thankful I was able to be here, and to be able to raise my family here and to play for an organization for so long.

“I an extremely grateful for everything I was able to experience, and to be able to represent the organization. It’s been a blessing.”

Over the course of his career, the New York native appeared in 223 regular season games and recorded 1,006 punts for 46,136 yards (45.9 avg.) with 396 kicks placed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. Kern saw action in nine postseason contests and registered 41 punts for 1,879 yards (45.8 avg.) with 20 kicks placed inside the 20-yard line. He was named to three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2017 to 2019 and earned First Team Associated Press All-Pro honors for the first time in 2019, and was a two-time captain in 2020 and 2021. He concluded his brief time with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022.

“I want to congratulate Brett on an amazing NFL career,” said Titans Controlling Owner Amy Adams Strunk in a statement. “He was a true professional and one of the important players who helped our organization reach the level of success that we have sustained for a number of years now. After being named to three Pro Bowls, receiving All-Pro honors and setting record after record, he would be on a very short list of the best waiver claims our organization has ever made. Brett will always be considered part of the Titans family, and we wish him continued success in the years to come.”

Kern finished his career in Tennessee as the team’s all-time career leader in punts (923), gross punting average (45.9 yards), net punting average (40.8) and punts placed inside the 20 (373). He owns nine of the top 10 net punting seasons in franchise history and six of the team’s top nine gross punting seasons. With 197 games played with the Titans, Kern ranks third in franchise history behind Bruce Matthews (296) and Elvin Bethea (210). He has totaled the most of any player during the franchise’s “Titans Era,” which started in 1999.

TSU Football Vs. Notre Dame Kickoff & Air Time Announced

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Tennessee State University (TSU) football’s season opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 2 in South Bend, Indiana will kick off at  2:30 p.m. CT, and will be televised on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

Third-year Head Coach Eddie George will lead TSU as the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to play the Irish. The Tigers will become the first FCS school to play Notre Dame since the subdivision split.

Fans can purchase tickets for the game through the Tennessee State Athletics website or by contacting the TSU ticket office. With a capacity of over 77,000, Notre Dame Stadium is expected to be packed with fans eager to see the Tigers take on the Fighting Irish.

For fans who want to make a weekend out of the experience, travel packages are available for purchase through EB Sports. These packages include hotel accommodations, game tickets and transportation options, starting as low as $854 per person.

Tickets are expected to sell quickly, so fans are encouraged to purchase early to ensure they don’t miss out on this historic matchup.

Titans Select TVS As Architect Of Record For New Stadium

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The Tennessee Titans have announced that TVS will serve as Architect of Record (AOR) on the new stadium project. The Metropolitan Sports Authority approved the selection during its board meeting on Thursday (May 18).

As AOR, TVS will work in tandem with the Design Architect, MANICA, to lead the design team through the completion of the stadium as well as the administration of construction activity. TVS is responsible for delivering the construction documents that will be used to construct the stadium, and will hold all contracts with certified subconsultants necessary to complete full stadium design. During the construction administration phase, TVS will provide critical oversight to ensure all materials and construction are being utilized correctly and per specification and design.

“We were immediately impressed by TVS’ portfolio and are excited to welcome them to the project team,” says Gil Beverly, Titans Sr. Vice President, Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer. “They bring a significant breadth of experience in large-scale venues and share our dedication to delivering a game-changing, high-character facility to Nashville.”

TVS, headquartered in Atlanta, is an award-winning architecture and interior design firm with immense experience in both sports and other large-scale venues. They have experience working on major projects in the Nashville area, having served as AOR for Nashville’s Music City Center in addition to NFL venue experience through work on Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“As a proud Tennessee native, I am beyond excited to be a part of the team that will bring this transformational new stadium to the residents of Tennessee,” says Rob O’Keefe, TVS Principal. “This project will usher in a new era for Titans fans and residents of the broader region as a premier destination for sports, entertainment and impactful community events year-round.”

As outlined in the new stadium development agreement, the Titans are responsible for leading the procurement process for the selection of the firms that will oversee the design and construction of the stadium. In keeping with the Metro Government’s procurement regulations and practices, the Titans was assisted by an evaluation committee comprised of the Titans, Metro Nashville and Sports Authority representatives.

Diverse business participation and minority contracting is a key priority for the entire project team, with commitments to meet and exceed participation goals set by the Business Assistance Office and work with a diversity reporting consultant, who will provide monthly reports to the Sports Authority regarding minority contractor and subcontractor participation.

Following the AOR selection, a request for proposals for the role of Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) is currently open on the Titans’ procurement website, www.tennesseetitans.com/procurement. Companies interested in responding to the CMAR RFP must submit their interest by Friday, May 26, and submit their full proposal by Friday, July 7. The procurement website also lists a number of design subconsultant roles currently available on the architectural and engineering team, and a form to record future interest as other roles and services are needed.

Groundbreaking on the new stadium is expected to begin in early-to-mid 2024, following the 2023-2024 NFL season. The facility is anticipated to open in 2027.

Peacock To Become Home Of First Exclusive Livestreamed NFL Playoff Game

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Photo (top): Courtesy of Adrian Curiel; (bottom): Courtesy of NBCUniversal

NBCUniversal and the NFL have announced that Peacock will be the home of the first-ever exclusive livestreamed NFL Playoff game, presenting an NFL Wild Card Playoff in primetime on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.

The Peacock exclusive Wild Card game will immediately follow a late afternoon NFL Wild Card Playoff game on NBC and Peacock (3:30 p.m. CT on Sat. Jan. 13).

“We are thrilled to partner with the NFL on this industry milestone, bringing to Peacock the first-ever exclusively livestreamed NFL Playoff game,” says Pete Bevacqua, Chairman, NBC Sports. “With America’s No. 1 primetime show for a record 12 consecutive years, the terrific regular season SNF schedule revealed last week, and today’s announcement, we can’t wait for the 2023 season to kick off.”

With the two Saturday Wild Card games and a Sunday primetime Wild Card game (on NBC and Peacock), NBCUniversal will be the first media company to present three NFL Playoff games in a single weekend.

“We are excited to work with a great partner in Peacock to present the first-ever exclusively livestreamed NFL playoff game this upcoming season,” says Hans Schroeder, Executive Vice President, NFL and Chief Operating Officer, NFL Media. “Expanding the digital distribution of NFL content while maintaining wide reach for our games continues to be a key priority for the League, and bringing the excitement of an NFL playoff game exclusively to Peacock’s streaming platform is the next step in that strategy.”

This season, Peacock will be the exclusive home of an NFL regular-season game for the first time, as the Buffalo Bills visit the Los Angeles Chargers in a primetime matchup of AFC playoff teams at 7:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, Dec. 23. The Peacock regular-season game immediately follows a special SNF Saturday afternoon game (Bengals vs. Steelers) at 3:30 p.m. CT on NBC and Peacock.

Peacock will once again stream all NBC Sunday Night Football games, including the playoffs, and the Football Night in America studio show. The exclusive Peacock Sunday Night Football Final returns with expanded postgame coverage following SNF each week.

“As Peacock continues to grow, nothing says ‘must-have’ programming more than live NFL games,” says Kelly Campbell, President, Peacock and Direct-to-Consumer, NBCUniversal. “With the first-ever exclusive livestreamed NFL Playoff game and our first exclusive regular-season game, plus the entire season of Sunday Night Football and Football Night in America, and the Peacock Sunday Night Football Final postgame show, fans can stream the best of the NFL on Peacock all season long.”

The Peacock exclusive Wild Card game and regular season game will air on NBC stations in the two competing team cities, and will be available on mobile devices with NFL+. The NFL is the only sports league that presents all regular-season and postseason games on free, over-the-air television in local markets.

Titans Full 2023-2024 Schedule Breakdown

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Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

With each week passing by and the summer at our doorstep, this means the NFL season is getting closer and closer. Now the Tennessee Titans 2023-2024 schedule is out and fans can start making plans for the season to come.

There are a handful of games Titans fans will definitely want to mark on their calendar. Sadly, Tennessee only has two prime time games this season, including a Thursday Night Football game and Monday Night Football game. They will head across the pond on Oct. 15 to play the Baltimore Ravens in London, which will count as a home match for the Titans. In their final six games of the season, Tennessee will play four of those games against division rivals, really creating drama as the AFC South will be tough and will most likely come down to the wire.

Week 1 vs. New Orleans Saints

To kickoff the season, the Titans will head to the Big Easy to face the Saint on Sept. 10. The Saints are coming off a rough season after finishing third in the NFC South with a 7-10 record. This season, Derek Carr joins the team along with Jamies Winston at the quarterback position. The Saints are in a similar boat as the Titans as they both have questions at quarterback, have some holes on offense and defense but still have Pro Bowl running backs in Derrick Henry and Alvin Kamara. It’s the first game of the season so it’s going to be hard to judge what either team will look like or how they will perform.

Week 2 vs. Los Angeles Chargers

The Titans first home game of the season will be a noon matchup on Sept. 17 against the Chargers who are keen on having a big year after falling short of expectations, finishing 10-7 in the regular season before losing to the Jaguars 31-30 in the AFC Wild Card game. With Justin Herbert slowly become one of the leagues best quarterbacks, the Titans will have the hands full trying to shutdown their offense in an attempt to not get pounced on early in the game. Last season, the Titans narrowly lost to the Chargers 17-14 in L.A. on Dec. 18 as the Chargers were making a playoff push and the Titans couldn’t buy a win. This season it will be much different but the Titans offense needs to be able to capitalize on big plays and long drives with points or they won’t last four quarters.

Week 3 vs. Cleveland Browns

Tennessee will have another interesting matchup against the Browns on Sept. 24, who look to bounce back after a 7-10 season. They will have Deshaun Watson back, starting Week One after missing more than half the season due to a suspension. With a healthy Watson playing from the get-go, the Titans will have a tough task in Week Three.

Week 4 vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals visit Nissan Stadium on Oct. 1 after beating the Titans 20-16 in Nashville last season. It was this loss which began the Titans seven-game losing streak to end the season. The Bengals are a good team and will be a top contender in the AFC again this season. The Titans will have a lot of work ahead of them if they want to keep it close but the team will be better this season that last and only narrowly lost in 2022. They may have an advantage by taking them on early in the season and can capitalize on a slow start, but Cincinnati will most likely start the season out well.

Week 5 vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Titans first AFC South matchup will be on Oct. 8 when they visit the Colts in Indianapolis. This season, the Colts will have a new quarterback in Anthony Richardson from Florida who many had picked the Titans trading up for in last months NFL Draft. The Colts will definitely be a favorite to win the division with a new quarterback and a solid team behind him. But the Titans have performed well against the Colts the past few seasons, defeating them twice last season.

Week 6 vs. Baltimore Ravens (London Game)

Tennessee will play one of their home games at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium in London this season on Oct. 15. The game will kickoff at 8 a.m. CT as the Titans look to beat Lamar Jackson‘s offense. There was a lot of drama this past offseason in regards to whether Jackson was going to stay or request to be traded. In the end he stayed with Baltimore, keeping them a major threat in the AFC. This London game will put the Titans on the international stage with thousands of English and European fans watching them. A win against the Ravens wouldn’t just be huge for their season but huge for their image internationally.

Week 7 Bye

Plan your vacations between Oct. 16 and Oct. 28 because the Titans will off.

Week 8 vs Atlanta Falcons

After the London game and a week off, the Titans will host the Atlanta Falcons who are coached by former Titan offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The Falcons quarterback is also former No. 1 overall pick for the Titans Marcus Mariota. The Falcons, like many of the Titans opponents up to this point in the season, finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs. It will be interesting as this will be Mariota’s first time back at Nissan Stadium since he was a Titans player. Atlanta has potential this season but will need a few key wins to push them to a playoff spot. Titans may have a chance to capitalize on a struggling Falcons team after a week off.

Week 9 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (TNF)

The Titans first primetime game will be against the Pittsburgh Steelers who are currently in a transitional season with a new quarterback and a few players coming back from injury including T.J. Watt. Pittsburgh is always a tough place to play, especially in November when the cold begins to settle in. The Steelers have second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett returning to what could be a breakout season for him. Depending on his performance up till Week 9, the Titans could definitely pick up a win here.

Week 10 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On Nov. 12, the Titans will head to  Tampa to play the now Tom Bradyless Buccaneers. This will also be a transitional year as they welcome Baker Mayfield to the team after Brady announced his retirement at the end of last season. At this point in the season, this could be a game that moves the Titans in the right direction or puts them under the table.

Week 11 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Tennessee will finally get a chance to take revenge on the Jaguars on Nov. 19 after they beat the Titans twice last season, including in the season finale which gave Jacksonville the AFC South title. The Jaguars will be the favorite to win the division again this season as quarterback Trevor Lawrence seems to be finding his place as a legit threat at quarterback. The Titans will need to win at least one of the two games they play against the Jags for a chance to compete for the division.

Week 12 vs. Carolina Panthers

The Titans will host the Panthers on Nov. 26 at Nissan Stadium as the Titans will have their first look at No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young out of Alabama. The Panthers are rebuilding their team after a disastrous 2022 so it’ll be interesting how Young and Carolina will look by Week 12.

Week 13 vs. Indianapolis Colts

On Dec. 3, the Colts will visit town to face the Titans as winter begins to settle in. By this point in the season, both teams could be fighting for a playoff spot, out of the playoff picture or one just trying to not get embarrassed. It’s hard to predict, as so much can change by Week 13 that we could be looking at very different teams

Week 14 vs. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins will be a tough opponent and will most likely be in the playoff picture by this point in the season. It’ll tough for the Titans to go to Miami on Dec. 11 and try to hold on as the Dolphins are already a pretty good team with a tough schedule. A chance to beat up on a possibly struggling Titans team would be big for the Dolphins.

Week 15 vs. Houston Texans

Tennessee will host rivals the Texans on Dec. 17 as the Titans will face CJ Stroud who the Titans were reportedly gunning for in the past draft. The Texans were very bad last season but still got a win out of Tennessee. They will most likely still have many holes but have one of the best quarterbacks from the past few draft classes. The Titans will need to defend home turf or things could get ugly.

Week 16 vs. Seattle Seahawks

The Titans welcome the Seahawks to Nashville on Christmas Eve in hopes for a early Christmas gift with a win. But Seattle found its way into the playoffs last year and only got better the offseason. With Geno Smith making his comeback, the Seahawks will be extremely tough to beat, especially this late in the season with a playoff push ahead.

Week 17 vs. Houston Texans

Playing the Texans twice in a three week span could be a gift for the Titans or a nightmare. It really depends on how good Stroud is.

Week 18 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

For the final game of the regular season, the Titans will host the Jaguars. This game could mean absolutely nothing but pride or it could be what stands in the way between them and the playoffs. Regardless, a win to end the season at home would be a great way to go into 2024.