The biggest story for the Tennessee Titans after the disappointing loss to the New York Jets is the emergence of Anthony Hill Jr. in the lineup.
Throughout the NFL, players have to step up and seize the moment when given a chance, and that is exactly what Hill did against the Jets. Stepping in for Cedric Gray, who missed the game after a UTV accident and subsequent concussion, Hill set the record for tackles in an NFL debut and has now cemented himself into the starting lineup.
Head coach Robert Saleh made that announcement on Friday ahead of practice and spoke on his prized rookie linebacker.
HC Robert Saleh on Anthony Hill Jr. playing Mike linebacker pic.twitter.com/XjyjDCjEO7
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 18, 2026
"Anthony is starting at MIKE," Saleh said. "He has done a really nice
job. The biggest issue for a young linebacker, especially at MIKE, is always going to be communication. Everybody talks about the green dot. Calling the huddle is the easy part; it is turning around and seeing the formation, getting the calls, making the adjustments, the communication, the checks.”
Now, with Gray returning, the question is how this impacts Cody Barton, the team’s MIKE linebacker heading into the season. Barton looked out of sync and uncomfortable against the Jets, and is unfamiliar with playing one of the outside linebacker positions.
While Sunday's outcome is a short-term dilemma for the staff, Hill's rapid rise into the starting lineup likely has a longer-term impact on Barton, who will likely move into a rotational role.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans make exciting move, name Anthony Hill Jr. starter for Week 2
