History

History: 2000s

2000

  • miralce January 8 - In a play known as the "Music City Miracle," Kevin Dyson returns a Frank Wycheck lateral on a kickoff return 75 yards for a touchdown, lifting the Titans to a 22-16 victory in the AFC Wild Card playoff game over the Buffalo Bills. The improbable play, which occurred with just 16 seconds remaining in the game, gives the franchise its first playoff win in Tennessee in addition to its first since 1993. - More
  • george January 16 - Eddie George rushes for 162 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown run, as the Titans defeat the Indianapolis Colts, 19-16, in an AFC Divisional Playoff game at the RCA Dome.

  • adams_AFCtrophy January 23 - The Titans beat Jacksonville for the third time of the season and fifth consecutive time, using 23 second-half points en route to a 33-14 win at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville. Steve McNair runs for two touchdowns and Derrick Mason returns a kickoff 80 yards in the win. The win sends Tennessee to its first Super Bowl in franchise history and its first AFC/AFL Championship since 1961.
  • superbowl_mcnair January 30 - The Titans fall short in their quest to win Super Bowl XXXIV, as Kevin Dyson is stopped one yard short of the end zone on the final play of the game in a 23-16 St. Louis Rams victory.

  • February 16 - The Titans sign unrestricted free agents LB Randall Godfrey (Dallas) and T Fred Miller (St. Louis).
  • March 7 - Mike Heimerdinger is named offensive coordinator, replacing Les Steckel.
  • March 13 - Craig Johnson (quality control/offense) and Ronnie Vinklarek (quality control/defense) are added to the coaching staff, while Jim Schwartz is promoted to linebackers coach.
  • June 15 - The Titans extend the contract of Head Coach Jeff Fisher and expand his title to Executive Vice President.
  • July 19 - The Titans extend the contract of RB Eddie George.
  • August 25 - The Titans host Monday Night Football for the first time since moving to Tennessee. A sell-out crowd of 68,072 at Adelphia Coliseum watch the Titans defeat St. Louis, 30-3, in a preseason Super Bowl XXXIV rematch.
  • October 16 - The Titans host their first regular season Monday Night Football game at Adelphia Coliseum, a 27-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
  • November 12 - Tennessee's NFL record of 12 consecutive victories to open a new stadium ends in a 23-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
  • probowl_2000 December 14 - S Blaine Bishop, RB Eddie George, T Brad Hopkins, DE Jevon Kearse, KR Derrick Mason, G Bruce Matthews, CB Samari Rolle and TE Frank Wycheck are named to the AFC team for the Pro Bowl. QB Steve McNair is added as an alternate, giving the Titans nine players on the Pro Bowl roster, the most for the franchise since nine players were selected in 1992.
  • matthews_brothers December 17 - At Cleveland, Bruce Matthews passes brother Clay on NFL games played list at 279 games. Both are honored in pre-game ceremony.

  • December 25 - The Titans clinch the AFC Central Division Championship with a 31-0 victory against the Dallas Cowboys, earning a 13-3 record for the second-consecutive season and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The defensive unit finishes the season ranked first overall in the NFL.

2001

  • January 7 - Baltimore defeats the Titans, 24-10, in an AFC Divisional Playoff game at Adelphia Coliseum.
  • February 1 - Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is hired as head coach of the Buffalo Bills.
  • February 2 - Jim Schwartz is promoted to defensive coordinator.
  • February 6 - Gunther Cunningham, former Kansas City Chiefs head coach, is named assistant head coach defense/linebackers.
  • February 22 - Everett Withers is named defensive backs coach.
  • March 2 - The Titans re-sign unrestricted free agent WR/KR Derrick Mason, who set an NFL record in 2000 with 2,690 all-purpose yards.
  • March 7 - The Titans agree to terms with unrestricted free agent K Joe Nedney from the Carolina Panthers.
  • March 8 - Former Pro Bowl safety Chuck Cecil is hired as defensive quality control coach.
  • March 28 - The Titans agree to trade their first pick (29th overall) in the 2001 NFL Draft to the St. Louis Rams for defensive end Kevin Carter.
  • April 21 - The Titans select DB Andre Dyson with their first selection (2nd round/60th overall) in the 2001 NFL Draft.
  • May 22 - The NFL announces its plans to realign divisions beginning in 2002, placing the Titans in the new AFC South with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and expansion Houston Texans.

  • munchak_hof August 4 - Mike Munchak, Titans offensive line coach and former Houston Oilers guard, is inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame after being selected for enshrinement on January 27.

  • September 25 - Former Nashville Kats (Arena Football League) Head Coach Pat Sperduto is hired as director of arena football league operations.
  • October 7 - Starting at center in Baltimore, Bruce Matthews plays in his 283rd NFL game and surpasses Jim Marshall for first place on league's all-time list for games played among non-kickers.
  • December 30 - Eddie George records a season-high 130 yards rushing against Cleveland, marking the 30th 100-yard game of his career. Additionally, George becomes the first RB in franchise history to post 200 career pass receptions.

2002

  • probowl_2002 January 2 - Bruce Matthews is named to his 14th consecutive Pro Bowl, tying him with Merlin Olsen for the most Pro Bowl selections in league history. Jevon Kearse also is selected for the third consecutive year.

  • April 5 - The team begins its fifth annual Tennessee Titans Caravan. With 16 players plus staff participating, Titans Caravan V goes on to make 64 stops, including 27 schools, in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama over a two-week period.
  • April 20 - The Titans select DT Albert Haynesworth with their first pick (15th overall) in the 2002 NFL Draft.
  • April 30 - Titans owner K.S. "Bud" Adams announces that he has purchased an expansion Arena Football League team that will begin play in Nashville in 2004. The team will keep the name of the previous AFL team that played in Nashville, the Nashville Kats.
  • May 15 - The Titans reach an agreement with Citadel Communications to move the Titans' flagship radio station to Nashville's 103 WKDF (103.3 FM).
  • May 30 - Craig Johnson is promoted to quarterbacks coach. Ned James is hired as offensive assistant.
  • June 4 - The Titans reach a tentative agreement with Adelphia Business Solutions to have Adelphia's name removed from the coliseum, pending court approval.
  • matthews_retires July 15 - Offensive lineman Bruce Matthews officially announces his NFL retirement from the offices of Titans owner K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr., in Houston, Tex.

  • September 7 - Titans owner Bud Adams unveils his team's PSL Founder's Club display at Coliseum.
  • December 1 - RB Eddie George becomes franchise's all-time leading rusher, passing Earl Campbell, in victory at New York Giants.
  • December 8 - Former Titans/Oilers offensive lineman Bruce Matthews is inducted into Titans' Hall of Fame and has his jersey retired during special halftime ceremony during Colts game.
  • December 22 - Titans clinch inaugural AFC South Division with 28-10 victory at Jacksonville.
  • December 29 - Titans go undefeated in inaugural AFC South division with 13-3 victory at Houston, securing a first-round bye in playoffs.
  • December 29 - Titans become NFL's third team to advance to playoffs after starting their season 1-4

2003

  • January 1 - QB Steve McNair finishes third in league MVP voting behind Rich Gannon and Brett Favre.
  • January 11 - Titans defeat Steelers 34-31 in bruising AFC Divisional Playoff Game.
  • January 19 - Titans play in franchise's fourth AFC Championship Game, but fall short at Oakland, 41-24.
  • January 25 - Former Houston Oilers DE Elvin Bethea named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2003 class.
  • February 3 - Head coach Jeff Fisher coaches the AFC to a 45-20 victory in Pro Bowl.
  • February 7 - Titans president Jeff Diamond signs a new one-year contract.
  • April 26 - Titans select CB Andre Woolfolk with their first pick (28th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft.
  • June 25 - Head coach Jeff Fisher agrees to terms on a long-term contract extension.
  • December 7 - Frank Wycheck becomes the fourth tight end in NFL history to record 500 career receptions in Tennessee's 29-27 loss at home to Indianapolis.
  • December 7 - WR Derrick Mason catches six passes for 64 yards at home vs. Indianapolis to record his third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season.
  • December 18 - The NFL announces that four Titans are going to the 2004 Pro Bowl - QB Steve McNair (named the starter), along with LB Keith Bulluck, WR Derrick Mason, and P Craig Hentrich. OT Brad Hopkins would later be named to the Pro Bowl as a reserve.
  • December 21 - QB Steve McNair leads a miraculous comeback at Houston, throwing the game-winning touchdown to Drew Bennett with 17 seconds left in Tennessee's 27-24 victory on the road. In the process, McNair surpasses 3,000 passing yards for the season, joining Warren Moon as only the second QB in franchise history to do so four times.
  • December 28 - Recently re-signed QB Neil O'Donnell starts following injuries to Steve McNair and Billy Volek. He threw for 232 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Tennessee's season-ending 33-13 victory over the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It marked O'Donnell's last NFL game as he would announce his retirement following the season.
  • December 28 - Eddie George becomes the 17th running back in NFL history to record 10,000 rushing yards in the team's victory over the Bucs. George rushes for 87 yards to push him over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the seventh time in his eight NFL seasons.

2004

  • mcnair_manning January 2 - QB Steve McNair named NFL's co-MVP along with Colts QB Peyton Manning. Each player receives 16 votes from a national panel of 50 journalists.

  • defense_ravens January 3 - Titans defeat Ravens 20-17 in AFC Wild Card Playoff Game in Baltimore.

  • mcnair_patriots January 10 - Titans fall at New England in AFC Divisional Playoff Game, the coldest playoff game in franchise history (four degrees, minus 10 wind chill)

  • January 11 - K Gary Anderson, the NFL's all-time leading scorer (2,346 points), announces his retirement after 22 seasons.
  • January 20 - Titans owner K.S. "Bud" Adams re-assumes team president role after Jeff Diamond's contract expires.
  • January 23 - TE Frank Wycheck announces his retirement from the NFL after 11 seasons in the league.
  • April 24 - Titans select a league-high 13 players in the 2004 NFL Draft, including three players in the second round (the team traded its first-round pick) - TE Ben Troupe, DE Travis LaBoy and DE Antwan Odom.
  • July 22 - Titans release RB Eddie George.
  • September 11 - The Titans season opener at Miami is played on Saturday instead of Sunday due to impending Hurricane Ivan. Titans running back Chris Brown rushes for 100 yards in his first NFL start en route to the team's 17-7 victory.
  • October 11 - On Monday Night Football, Steve McNair quarterbacks the Titans to a 48-27 victory over Green Bay to give him 71 career wins as a starter, surpassing Warren Moon's previous franchise record of 70 victories. The 48 points set a Lambeau field record for a visiting team. Also in the game, running back Chris Brown carries 27 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns, joining Stump Mitchell (St. Louis Cardinals) and Don Calhoun (New England Patriots) to become the third player in NFL history to gain 100 or more rushing yards in four of his first five NFL starts.
  • December 13 - Running back Chris Brown totals 91 yards against Kansas City to become the franchise's eighth player to eclipse 1,000 season rushing yards. He finishes the season with 1,067 yards on 220 carries.
  • December 19 - Titans quarterback Billy Volek becomes fourth quarterback in NFL history to pass for 400 or more yards in two consecutive games after passing for 426 yards against Kansas City (12/13) and 492 yards at Oakland (12/19). The 918-yard total is the second-best two-game total in NFL history behind Phil Simms' record of 945 yards (1985).

2005

  • January 28 - The Arena Football League's Nashville Kats begin play under owner K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr., winning 47-38 at the Columbus Destroyers.
  • February 9 - University of Southern California assistant Norm Chow is hired as Titans offensive coordinator after a 32-year career in college football.
  • February 21 - Titans part ways with six veterans - K Joe Nedney, DE Kevin Carter, CB Samari Rolle, RB/FB Robert Holcombe, T Fred Miller and WR Derrick Mason - due to salary cap concerns.
  • pacman_draft April 23 - Titans select West Virginia cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones with the sixth overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.

  • May 6 - Titans owner K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr. pledges $600,000 over three years for scholarship program that provides money for college for one student-athlete from every high school in Tennessee.

 

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