NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tony Pollard, who turned 29 in April, enters the season coming off a career-best 1,082 rushing yards and a fourth consecutive 1,000-yard campaign. Pollard said he has been “a lot more proactive,” adding that he does things to stay steady in the offseason so ramping up is not a drastic change.
Pollard drew admiration from new Titans coach Robert Saleh after a Week 15 game last season when Pollard rushed for 104 yards on 14 carries against Saleh’s 49ers defense. Saleh called him a “helluva player” and praised his daily operation, saying “every single step he takes is deliberate in terms of the pad level, the hand placement, the eyes to make sure that he’s executing at a high level.”
Last season marked Pollard’s fourth straight year with at least 1,000 rushing yards, joining Baltimore’s Derrick Henry as the only players to do so over that span. Pollard also became one of four players — along with Earl Campbell, Eddie George and Chris Johnson — to rush for 1,000 or more yards in each of their first two seasons with a franchise.
Pollard emphasized availability as the basis for his consistency. “In this league, the best ability is being available,” he said. The Titans’ running backs coach Randy Jordan echoed that sentiment, calling Pollard “a pro’s pro” and praising him and the running backs room for learning a new scheme and taking the process “one day at a time.”
Durability has been a hallmark of Pollard’s tenure: since becoming a feature back in 2023 he has missed five games and was out for only one game, according to the team’s account. His 260 carries in his first season with Tennessee in 2024 were a career high, and his 242 carries last season were the third most.
Pollard enters the final season of a three-year, $21.7 million contract, and the Titans will have a decision to make about his role. The current backfield includes Pollard, Tyjae Spears, Julius Chestnut, Kalel Mullings, Michael Carter and 2026 fifth-round pick Nicholas Singleton; how the new coaching staff allocates carries remains to be seen.
