Titans Fans Sound Off on Tyjae Spears' Potential to Become RB1

Tennessee Titans fans said their peace on social media as Tyjae Spears faces an opportunity to ascend into an RB1 role, given Tony Pollard is entering the last year of his contract.

Aug 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (2) walks off the field at halftime against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tony Pollard is in the last year of his contract with the Tennessee Titans. His starting spot feels like it's tied to that looming transition; Pollard eclipsed 1,000 yards for the fourth straight season last year, notching five touchdowns on the way to an above-par campaign in Nashville. Still, at nearly 30 years old on an expiring deal, it's unclear how much longer Tennessee's rebuilding franchise will keep him around.

That leads Titans fans to the question: Is it time for Tyjae Spears to take over at RB1? Even if it isn't out of the gate, Spears has long awaited an opportunity to step into a more serious role behind Pollard.

Our own Dharya Sharma posed this question on X, fielding responses from a Titans fanbase that is more engaged now than they have been in years. To say that the answers were varied would be an understatement.

Titans Fans Share Spread of Takes on Tyjae Spears

"If he can stay healthy yes" stated one response simply, while another ran the opposite direction, saying, "if only he had the sustainability of Derrick Henry." These are in reference to Spears' lengthy history with injuries, which is certainly part of the reason he hasn't seen extended clock sooner.

Spears tore his ACL multiple times before even making it to the NFL, where he has since dealt with concussions, as well as hamstring and ankle strains. After a clean rookie campaign back in 2024, the Titans haven't seen the full impact of Spears all season.

Entering year four, however, Spears appears healthier than ever. Yet, the common denominator among fans remains his health struggles, with an additional litany of comments echoing the same worry.

No. Injured too much

— Jamaican Baken♉️ (@P_Martin22) August 20, 2026

"No, he can’t stay healthy enough," was another reply, as well as "I like Spears and I’m always rooting for him, but his health has been an issue." That seems to be the most honest approach here, but assume Spears does stay healthy. Then what?

The Outcome For Tennessee if Spears Stays Healthy

Spears, who essentially split his work between rushing and receiving last season, is at the top of the list of players set to benefit from the Titans rebuilding their offense this offseason. Brian Daboll is the perfect fit at offensive coordinator, as far as Spears' style of play is concerned.

Through a broader lens, who else is there to step up to the plate when Pollard eventually goes, if not sooner? Rookie Nick Singleton would appear to be the third most relevant name on the depth chart, but the bulk of his game this season will be spelling Spears, as Spears has been Pollard.

Titans fans circling Spears' health as a concern makes plenty of sense - after all, he didn't return to the team until October last season for that reason. If he can stay on the field, however, this may be the year that he's got a real chance to ease into RB1 duties in the backfield.