Titans Rookie Reveals Biggest Takeaway From First Season

The Tennessee Titans had a ton of learning experiences through a tough 2024 campaign.

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat (93) returns the ball after stripping it from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Things didn't pan out too great for the Tennessee Titans throughout the 2024 season. Yet, one aspect of their campaign that shined through was second-round rookie T'Vondre Sweat, who emerged as a strong part of an otherwise lacking defensive unit.

Sweat recently caught up with Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com to discuss some of the happenings of his first year in the league, while also revealing some of what he's learned during his short time in the NFL.

"2024 had a lot of ups and downs for me," Sweat said. "100 percent I could have had a way better year. I feel like I had a decent year for my rookie year... What did I learn most my rookie year? It's learning how to take care of my body. Learning how to sustain for 18 weeks, and my locker mate, [Jeffery Simmons], taught me so much about maintaining and what he does. But going from 12 weeks (in college) to 18 weeks (in the NFL) is a big difference. Plus, the level of play from college to the NFL is a big difference. I had to learn that taking care of your body is a big, big thing."

For most NFL players, the leap from the college game to getting thrown into the fire of the pros will no doubt have some growing pains. Sweat is no exception. But, while there were some adjustments to be made over his rookie year, the Titans' 38th overall pick from last spring still showed out.

Sweat finished his debut season in Tennessee with 51 combined tackles, four tackles for loss, and seven pressures along with a forced fumble and recovery. And at just 23 years old, we're likely just starting to scratch the surface of what is expected to be a strong NFL career.

The Titans' defense had its fair share of lapses during the 2024 season. Considering Tennessee ranked in the bottom three of the NFL for scoring defense, allowing over 27 points a game, there is clear work needed to get that side of the ball where it needs to be.

Regardless, Sweat's presence on the defensive line will be a huge component of this unit's future success for years to come.

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