NASHVILLE – Kevin Byard is back at the Pro Bowl, this time with the Chicago Bears.
Ten seasons after his NFL career began with the Tennessee Titans, Byard is still remembered as one of the most revered players in team history.
And, to hear Byard tell it, he never stopped loving the Titans even after he was traded away.
"When all that went down, I never had any hard feelings for the organization," Byard said. "Honestly, I understood where we were headed … We were in the middle of a 'Do we run it back, or a rebuild?,' so when it happened, it's what it was. … The next season, when I signed with Chicago, the first game was against Tennessee, so I got to see a lot of faces, and I obviously spoke to Amy (Adams Strunk). I wish the guys that (I played with), Amani Hooker, Jeffery Simmons, the best, and I know they just hired Robert Saleh, who is a really good coach.
"I still have a lot of love for Amy and the Titans for sure. When I actually got traded, I texted her and let her know how much I appreciated her for No.1, drafting me, but changing my family's life with the contract."
Byard, who starred at Middle Tennessee State, said he keeps up with the Titans, and he still pulls for the team.
"I watch them a lot," Byard said. "I was watching Jeff wreck games like crazy, and even on my ESPN App I still have the Titans as one of my favorite teams. It's been tough to see them not be able to have the success the last couple of years, but I still root for (the Titans) for sure."
Byard, by the way, said he still feels the love from folks in Nashville, where he still has a home.
"Obviously I'm about to be a pending free agent next offseason, so I have been getting flooded with mentions on X and Instagram about coming back home," Byard said with a smile. "People I run into in town say the same thing. Most people don't know that I still have my place in town, so it has been pretty crazy. I get a lot of love, and they are still calling me the Mayor of Murfreesboro, so it is awesome."
Byard, in his second season with the Bears, was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles back in 2023 for two draft picks – a fifth and a sixth rounder in the 2024 NFL Draft – and safety Terrell Edmunds in exchange for Byard.
Byard spend the remainder of the 2023 season with the Eagles, before joining the Bears in 2024.
Byard, who had seven interceptions in 2025, remembers his days with the Titans fondly.
Byard recorded 27 career interceptions with the Titans, where he was a four-time team captain and a two-time Pro Bowl selection, along with being named All-Pro two seasons by the Associated Press.
"I had a lot of fun memories," Byard said. "I always think about my draft class, myself, Jack Conklin, Derrick Henry and obviously the core guys we had, from Jeffery Simmons to A.J. Brown. We had so many fun times. Nothing but fond memories, and the organization was so great to me. We won a lot of games, and had a lot of fun."
Byard's ties to the state – after playing at MTSU he played 7 ½ for the Titans – remain.
His home in Nashville is in the Oak Hill area, and he suffered through the recent ice storm like everyone else in town.
"I got back home last week, and obviously the storm hit Saturday night, so Sunday morning we woke up like everybody else in Nashville – no power, and it didn't come back home in our neighborhood until Thursday evening," Byard said. "So, basically we'd been living in a hotel for five days. It's been tough, and I want to send out prayers to everybody that has been affected. It has been tough for sure.
"But Nashville has been strong about it – I have seen a lot of videos of people who are volunteering, cutting down trees, and trying to help out as much as possible. I wish everyone in Nashville the best."
