Tanzel Smart is in his first season as assistant defensive line coach with the Titans and his second season in coaching. The former defensive lineman played in the NFL from 2017 through 2023.

Smart, whose first name is pronounced "TAN-zell," joined the Titans after breaking into coaching with the Dallas Cowboys in 2025 as a defensive assistant/quality control coach.

Smart was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the sixth round (189th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft. During his playing career, he appeared in 41 career games with four starts, recording 31 tackles and a pass breakup in his career.

He spent the 2024 season out of football after a four-year stint with the N.Y. Jets (2020-23), playing in 10 games for the team as a gameday elevation from the practice squad.

In 2020, he spent time with the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns after three seasons with the Rams (2017-19), where he started four of his 31 games played. He was inactive for the 2018 postseason but was a member of the Rams team that faced New England in Super Bowl LVI.

As a rookie in 2017, he achieved career highs with 16 games played, four starts and 14 total tackles.

The Baton Rouge, La., native was a four-year letterman and two-time first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection at Tulane, playing in 48 games with 36 starts at defensive tackle. He finished his collegiate career with 191 tackles, 41 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

TANZEL SMART'S COACHING TIMELINE

2026: Assistant Defensive Line – Tennessee Titans

2025: Defensive Assistant/Quality Control – Dallas Cowboys

TANZEL SMART'S NFL PLAYING TIMELINE

2020-23: Defensive Tackle – New York Jets

2017-19: Defensive Tackle – Los Angeles Rams