The Tennessee Titans made quite the splash in free agency when they agreed to terms with former Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Calvin Ridley on a four-year, $92 million deal which includes $50 million guaranteed. It was thought Ridley was deciding between the Jaguars and New England Patriots, but ultimately, he joins forces with a former rival.
Ridley was one of the more interesting free agents this offseason. While he’s played in just 66 career games, he turned 29-years-old in December. That’s because Ridley missed nearly an entire season due to mental health reasons, and then was suspended the following year in 2022 due to gambling on NFL games. Still, the Jags went out and traded with the Atlanta Falcons for Ridley’s rights during his suspension, and he repaid Jacksonville by catching 76 passes for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023.
During his introductory press conference in Nashville on Friday, Ridley was asked how much football he has left in the tank. He responded by saying he actually feels younger than he is.
“Man let me tell you this,” Ridley said. “I’m 29 on paper. But I’m probably like 25, for real. To be honest with you. And it’s not because of the two years off. The two years off did help, but I’m really like 25-years-old in real life.
“Ya’ll gonna see. I can run with the youngins, I can run with the oldins. I can run all day, I can play all day. I love football man. It’s all I ever did, bro. Pretty much. This is what I do.”
Ridley was selected by the Falcons with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Alabama. He caught a career-high 10 touchdowns in his rookie season, and exploded for 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns in 2020. Regarded as a stud route runner, Ridley is clearly viewed as a pillar for what Brian Callahan wants his new offense to look like. A unit headlined by Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins instead of Derrick Henry.
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Author: Jordan Dajani
March 15, 2024 | 7:21 pm
