NASHVILLE – The Titans have named Ryan Tannehill as the team's starting quarterback for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday morning at Saint Thomas Sports Park.
Tannehill, acquired this offseason in a trade with the Dolphins, has played in 89 games in his career, with 88 starts. He's completed 1,829-of-2,911 passes for 20,434 yards with 123 touchdowns and 75 interceptions. A first-round pick of the Dolphins in the 2012 NFL Draft, he also has 1,208 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
Tannehill replaced Mariota in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Broncos, an eventual 16-0 loss. It was Tannehill's first action since the Titans traded for the former Dolphins starter back in March.
Tannehill completed 13-of-16 passes for 144 yards with a 78.1 rating against the Broncos, but he was sacked four times. In his last game against the Chargers, in 2016 while with Miami, Tannehill went 17-of-24 for 240 yards and two touchdowns with a 130.6 rating. Tannehill has a 100-plus rating in five of his last seven games vs. AFC West teams.
Vrabel said on Monday he planned to discuss the quarterback position with Titans general manager Jon Robinson and his staff before making a decision on a starter. He officially announced the decision today.
Mariota completed 7-of-18 passes for 63 yards and two interceptions and a 9.5 rating against the Broncos before being replaced with 4:49 in the third quarter. On the season, Mariota has completed 94-of-159 passes for 1,179 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions, with a 91.7 rating. He's been sacked 25 times in six games, however, and the team has been held to a touchdown or less in three of its first six games.
The Titans head into Sunday's contest against the Chargers with a 2-4 mark. Kickoff for Sunday's game at Nissan Stadium is scheduled for 3:05 p.m.
