Countdown to Kickoff: 12 Days

Linebacker Keith Bulluck was often around the ball, which helped him recover 12 fumbles in 10 seasons.

The countdown to kickoff continues.

The Tennessee Titans will open the 2020 regular season Sept. 14 at Denver. That is 12 days away. So, today we look at one way the number 12 figures into the team’s recent history.

It is apparent by the number of tackles he made in his eight years as a starting linebacker for the Tennessee Titans that Keith Bulluck was around the ball more than most.

That also meant that he was around when the ball came out.

Bulluck recovered 12 fumbles in 10 seasons (he was a backup for his first two), which is the most by any member of Tennessee’s defense during the Titans era (1999-present). The 2000 first-round draft pick (30th overall) never recovered more than two in any single season but picked up at least one every year from 2000-09.

No one else was even close. Linebacker Eddie Robinson and cornerback Samari Rolle are next with eight apiece followed by safety Michael Griffin with six.

Bulluck, Tennessee’s leading tackler six times, was remarkably consistent when it came to getting his hands on loose balls. He recovered five in home games and six on the road. By month, the breakdown was three in September, three in October, three in November and two in December with one in January. He had at least one against opponents from five of the NFL’s eight divisions, with seven against AFC teams and five against NFC foes.

He didn’t just fall on the ball either. Bulluck’s 151 yards on fumble returns also are the most by any Titans player over the past 21 seasons (only two others had at least 100 yards) as are his four touchdowns on fumble returns. No one else scored more than twice on a fumble recovery.