NASHVILLE – The Titans returned to the practice field on Friday at Vanderbilt Health Football Center to continue preparations for Sunday's game vs the Philadelphia Eagles.
Here's a look at today's developments:
-Rookie Anthony Hill Jr. has earned the trust of the coaching staff during his short time in the NFL.
"Anthony is starting at MIKE," coach Robert Saleh said on Friday. "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. … He has a lot of people around him to help him."
Hill has great confidence in himself, even more after his 16-tackle debut in the opener.
Hill said he's ready to return to action.
"Cody (Barton) and Cedric (Gray) have done a good job helping me get prepared, and the coaching staff has done a good job of pushing me and getting me ready for the moment," Hill said in the locker room on Friday. "I feel like the moment wasn't too big for me and I have to just go out there and execute."
Here's a clip of Hill below:
-Titans linebacker Cedric Gray was a full participant again on Friday, and Saleh is optimistic about him clearing concussion protocol and being able to play on Sunday.
"He has to be evaluated by the end of the day," Saleh said of Gray, "and then he's done. I'd be surprised at this point if he doesn't play. … He's been good."
-Titans linebacker James Williams Sr. was limited again on Friday with an elbow strain.
-Titans cornerback Cor'Dale Flott was added to the Injury Report with some tightness, Saleh said, but "I don't have any concern for the game."
-As part of what's become a weekly tradition, Saleh was represented Happy Valley High School from Elizabethton, Tennessee, during his press conference today.
-Titans safety Amani Hooker talked to reporters on Friday about the importance of playing better against the Eagles, defending quarterback Jalen Hurts – and about his cleats actually melting in the blistering hot turf last Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
Temperatures for Sunday's game will again be in the upper 90s, maybe even at 100, with the feels like temperatures easily in the 100s.
-I chatted this week with guard Atonio Mafi, who the Titans claimed off waivers.
Mafi, waived by the Raiders last week, was a fifth-round draft pick of the New England Patriots in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-3, 330-pound Mafi, who played in college at UCLA, has spent time with the Patriots (2023), Colts (2024) and Raiders (2025-2026) in his career, playing in 23 games over the past three seasons, with seven starts, primarily at guard. Mafi played in three games in 2025 with the Raiders while spending time on the team's practice squad and active roster.
Here's the quick conversation with Mafi, and a look at Mafi on the practice field:
-The Titans will hold a walkthrough on Saturday, ahead of Sunday's game vs the Eagles.
