Ryan Tannehill: From College Standout to NFL Leader
Ryan Timothy Tannehill III, born on July 27, 1988, is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. His career spanned from his early days with the Miami Dolphins to his leadership role with the Tennessee Titans. Tannehill's journey is marked by transitions, resilience, and notable achievements.
Early Life and High School Career
Tannehill was born in Lubbock, Texas, and spent his formative years in Big Spring. At Big Spring High School, he excelled in football, basketball, and track and field. Tannehill's athletic versatility was evident early on. As a sophomore, he played 10 games as a defensive back. As a junior, he transitioned to quarterback, passing for 2,510 yards and rushing for 922. During his senior year, he led his team to the playoffs, passing for 1,258 yards and rushing for an additional 617, even after missing two games due to a separated shoulder sustained in the second game of the season. Tannehill also contributed on special teams, averaging 39.2 yards per punt, with a long of 84 yards. His performance earned him second-team District 4-4A honors in both his junior and senior years. In track and field, Tannehill participated in hurdling and jumping events.
College Career at Texas A&M
Tannehill continued his football career at Texas A&M University. Before his second season, Mike Sherman took over as head coach. Tannehill competed for the starting quarterback position against veteran Stephen McGee and redshirt sophomore Jerrod Johnson during summer camp, ultimately finishing third behind Johnson and McGee. Despite this, Tannehill expressed his desire to become the starting quarterback at A&M, stating, "I still think of myself as a quarterback; I still want to be a quarterback here at A&M. Hopefully that's the way it turns out."
Transition to Wide Receiver
During the first six games of the 2010 season, Tannehill played wide receiver. Despite his initial role, Tannehill's skill set made him more suitable for the quarterback room.
Return to Quarterback
Tannehill saw extensive action at quarterback during the Kansas game, splitting time with starter Jerrod Johnson. He quarterbacked the Aggies to a victory over No. 11 Oklahoma, which moved the team into the top 25. He helped the team maintain a ranking in the top 25 with victories over Baylor and No. 9 Nebraska. During the Nebraska game, Tannehill punted twice since the starter was injured. He and his team defeated Texas finishing the regular season.
Read also: 17-Year-Old Football Star
In 2011, Tannehill started all 13 games (including the bowl game) at quarterback for the Aggies and was the team captain. He threw for 3,744 yards and 29 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. Tannehill completed 61.6% of his passes posting a quarterback rating of 133.2. He also recorded three rushing touchdowns. In 20 games under center spanning two seasons, Tannehill threw for 5,357 yards and 42 touchdowns compared to 21 interceptions.
NFL Career with the Miami Dolphins
Tannehill's strong potential led to him being drafted eighth overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 2012 NFL Draft. He was the first quarterback selected by the Dolphins in the first round since Dan Marino in 1983.
Early Seasons and Development
Tannehill was named the starting quarterback for the season opener against the Houston Texans. He finished the 30-10 road loss with 219 passing yards and three interceptions. Two of his three interceptions were tipped at the line of scrimmage by defensive end J. J. Watt. In response to Tannehill's performance, Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin said, "We've (also) got to do a better job in (pass) protection, and at times the receivers have to protect the throw from the quarterback." During Week 2, Tannehill improved dramatically in a 35-13 victory over the Oakland Raiders. He threw for 200 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions, as well as 14 yards on the ground to go along with a rushing touchdown. Tannehill seemed to fix his tipped ball problem by having no passes batted down in that game. Two weeks later against the Arizona Cardinals, Tannehill threw for 431 yards, surpassing the Dolphins' single-game record for most passing yards by a rookie quarterback set by Dan Marino in 1983. Tannehill's mark was one yard shy of the NFL's single-game passing-yard record by a rookie quarterback, set by Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in 2011. Tannehill threw for 431 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions in the 24-21 overtime road loss to the Cardinals. During a Week 16 24-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills, he set a franchise record for longest run by a quarterback by rushing for 31 yards in a single play. The previous record was held by Pat White, who had a 30-yard run in 2009. During Week 16 against the Bills, Tannehill followed up his best game with a lackluster performance, completing 10-of-27 passes for 82 yards and was sacked seven times in the 19-0 road loss. In the regular-season finale against the New York Jets, Tannehill had 204 passing yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions during the 20-7 loss. Mike Sherman was the Dolphins' offensive coordinator in Tannehill's first two NFL seasons, and was the head coach at Texas A&M when Tannehill played there.
Continued Development and Challenges
During the season opener against the Patriots, Tannehill threw for 178 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the 33-20 victory. The Dolphins then went 6-7 over their next 13 games. During a Week 7 44-26 road victory over Texans, Tannehill became the 64th quarterback in NFL history to post a perfect 158.3 passer rating after throwing for 282 yards and four touchdowns. In the same game, he set the all-time NFL record for consecutive completed passes with 25, completing his first 18 passes of the game and the final seven of his previous game. For treatment on his ACL, Tannehill went with stem-cell therapy and rehab over surgery. On August 3, 2017, he suffered a left leg injury when it buckled during the team's first non-contact 11-on-11 practice of season. During the season-opener against the Tennessee Titans, the game was delayed twice due to lightning storms. During Week 14, Tannehill was part of the Miracle in Miami against the Patriots. Trailing by five points with seven seconds left, the Dolphins had the ball at their own 31-yard line. Tannehill threw a pass over the middle that was caught by wide receiver Kenny Stills, who lateraled the ball to the right side of the field that was caught by DeVante Parker at midfield.
Trade to the Tennessee Titans
On March 15, 2019, the Dolphins traded Tannehill and a sixth-round selection in the 2019 NFL draft to the Titans in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2020 draft and a seventh-round selection in the 2019 draft.
Read also: Continuing Education at AbilityLab
Tenure with the Tennessee Titans
Tannehill's career experienced a resurgence after being traded to the Tennessee Titans in 2019. Initially serving as a backup to Marcus Mariota, Tannehill took over as the starting quarterback midway through the season.
2019 Season: Comeback Player of the Year
Tannehill's impact was immediate. In 10 starts, he passed for 2,598 yards, 22 touchdowns, and five interceptions, completing 69.6% of his passes and averaging 10.2 yards per attempt. He then seized the starting job for good. The Titans salvaged their season to earn a playoff birth and made it to the 2019 AFC Championship game under Tannehill’s watch, but lost to the Chiefs. His outstanding performance earned him the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award and Pro Bowl honors.
2020 Season: Continued Success
Tannehill continued his success in 2020, leading the Titans to an 11-5 record and an AFC South title. He finished the season with 3,819 passing yards, a career-high 33 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, along with 43 carries for 266 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns in 16 games and starts. The Titans finished atop the AFC South with an 11-5 record and qualified for the playoffs.
2021 Season: Overcoming Adversity
The 2021 season presented challenges for Tannehill and the Titans. Despite injuries to key players, including Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Julio Jones, Tannehill maintained a high level of play. He finished the season ranked No. 8 among quarterbacks in total QBR. He finished 24th among quarterbacks in deep ball attempts (44), 18th in air yards (3,920), and 25th in true passer rating (72.2). Tannehill ended the season as QB16 on a per-game basis, below his ADP as the QB11 heading into the 2021 season. The Titans managed to enter the 2021 postseason as the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but promptly fell to the Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round.
Personal Life
Ryan Tannehill is married to Lauren, whom he met in Panama City, Florida, in 2009. They married in January 2012 and have two children. Tannehill is an Evangelical Christian.
Read also: GPA Statistics for Ryan Williams
tags: #ryan #tannehill #college #stats #and #career
