Alabama News

EDITOR’S NOTE: Every day until Aug. 29, Creg Stephenson is counting down significant numbers in Alabama football history, both in the lead-up to the 2025 football season and in commemoration of the Crimson Tide’s first national championship 100 years ago. The number could be attached to a year, a uniform number or even a football-specific statistic. We hope you enjoy.

A man legendary for his toughness put that character trait on display in an unforgettable way in 1935.

Paul “Bear” Bryant — then a senior end at Alabama — played in a game vs. Tennessee a week after suffering a broken fibula in his left leg. He’d suffered the injury in a 20-7 loss to Mississippi State in Tuscaloosa, returning to the game in the fourth quarter after having the leg “tightly bandaged,” according to an Associated Press report at the time.

Alabama did not play Auburn from 1908-1947, so the Tennessee game was invariably the biggest on the Crimson Tide’s schedule. Alabama had gone undefeated and won the Rose Bowl in 1934, and had beaten Robert Neyland’s Volunteers on the way to SEC championships in each of the previous two seasons.

The night before the 1935 Alabama-Tennessee game in Birmingham, the team doctor visited the Crimson Tide’s hotel and cut Bryant’s cast off. He told Bryant that he could dress for the game if he felt up to it, Bryant wrote in Bear, his 1975 autobiography.

“I said, ‘Is there any chance of a bone sticking out anywhere?’” Bryant wrote. “He said no.”

Bryant also related a pre-game pep talk given the following day by assistant coach Hank Crisp, who had recruited Bryant to Alabama from his native Arkansas. Crisp made reference to Bryant by his uniform number, which often changed on a game-by-game basis under then-head coach Frank Thomas.

“I’ll tell you gentlemen one thing,” Bryant quoted Riley as saying. “I don’t know about the rest of you, you or you or you, I don’t know what you’re going to do. But I know one damn thing. Old 34 will be after ’em, he’ll be after their asses.”

“So he’s up there talking about old 34, and I look down, and I’m 34!” Bryant remembered. “I had no idea of playing. So we go out there, and cold chills are running up my back. He done bragged on old 34.

“… They lined up for the kickoff, and Coach Thomas turned to me and said, ‘Bryant, can you play?’ Well shoot, what could I say? I just ran on out there.”

Alabama end Ben McLeod, who had been ticketed to start in Bryant’s place, told author Kirk McNair in 2005 that Bryant “didn’t play long, maybe a quarter, but he played well. … That Bryant was about as tough as they come.”

Alabama won the game 25-0, with Bryant — described as “the injured Bear” by the Birmingham News’ Zipp Newman in the following day’s paper — catching at least four passes. One went for 21 yards, another for a total of 22 yards after a lateral to Riley Smith, another for 14 yards and the last for 30 yards.

The story made headlines around the Southeast, with Atlanta Constitution sports editor Ralph McGill writing that Bryant “deserves a medal for courage.” Heading into Alabama’s late October game vs. Georgia in Athens, McGill traveled to Tuscaloosa to visit with Bryant in person.

“When the Alabama team trots on Sanford Field at Athens next Saturday, pick out Paul (Bear) Bryant’s number and locate him,” McGill wrote. “When your eyes are on it, lift your hat. You will be looking at a man.”

McGill added that he’d personally verified Bryant’s injury.

“It was no press agent’s dream, no doctor’s error,” McGill wrote. “I saw the X-rays. And I saw Bear Bryant’s leg still almost twice its size Tuesday. … As far as this season is concerned, Paul Bryant is in first place in the courage league. … When you have a top for this story let me know.”

Despite the win over Tennessee, Alabama was not quite as strong a team as the 1934 squad that featured All-Americans Don Hutson and Dixie Howell. In addition to the loss to Mississippi State, the Crimson Tide played Howard (now Samford) to a 7-7 tie in its season opener and lost 14-6 at Vanderbilt to end the season at 6-2-1 and fail in its attempt to repeat as SEC champion.

The Bryant broken leg story has become part of his legend, as much as wrestling the animal that gave him his nickname as a youth and all the games and championships he won as a coach. In a 1981 interview with Al Browning of the Tuscaloosa News, however, Bryant allowed that maybe his condition had been a little bit embellished.

“The injury was not that serious,” Bryant told Browning. “It was just a little crack in a small bone in my leg. … Every time weight came down on it, I knew (the injury) was there. And if I stubbed my toe or anyone hit it, why it hurt.”

More likely, Bryant was showing humility in his later years and downplaying the idea of bragging on himself. Either way, it’s a well-established fact that Bryant not only played — but was a difference-maker — against Tennessee in 1935 despite a broken leg.

And that’s a story worth remembering.

Coming Sunday: Our countdown to kickoff continues with No. 34, when Alabama ushered in the Saban era with a statement win in Atlanta.

In his rookie season for the Detroit Lions, Jahmyr Gibbs produced 1,261 yards on 234 combined rushing attempts and receptions in 2023. In his second season, the former Alabama running back produced 1,929 yards on 302 touches.

Can the Lions get even more out of Gibbs in his third season?

“Whatever they want me to do, I mean, I’m willing to do it,” Gibbs said at Detroit’s training camp. “I just want to win a Super Bowl ultimately. So they told me I’d line up at safety some this year, so I’ll be doing that — a little nickel.”

Gibbs was just joking with reporters, of course. The Lions aren’t about to turn the two-time Pro Bowl ball-carrier into a two-way player.

But they still could expand Gibbs’ game.

“I’m being split out, like, way more than I was the past two years,” Gibbs said. “That’s good. That’s going to be fun. I’ve been waiting on that.”

Gibbs already was among the six running backs with at least 100 receptions across the previous two seasons. He and the Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson are the only ball-carriers in that group who also had at least 1,900 rushing yards in 2023 and 2024.

Making plans for Gibbs in the 2025 season is a new offensive coordinator. The Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson as their head coach this offseason. The Lions filled the vacancy with John Morton, the Denver Broncos’ passing-game coordinator for the past two seasons.

While Morton is new to Gibbs, he is not new to Detroit. Morton worked with Johnson on the Lions’ coaching staff in 2022.

“They was here at the same time a couple years ago, so, I mean, it’s not a lot that’s changed,” Gibbs said of Detroit’s playbook. “But like I said, little tweaks here and there, but it’s good.”

Johnson took with him Antwaan Randle El, the Lions’ wide-receivers coach, to handle that job and work as assistant head coach with the Bears. Detroit shifted its assistant head coach, Scottie Montgomery, from running-backs coach to wide-receivers coach, then hired Texas running-backs coach Tashard Choice for that spot on Dan Campbell’s staff.

Choice is not new to Gibbs, having coached him in 2020 and 2021 at Georgia Tech.

“Nothing much has changed at all, you know,” Gibbs said. “It’s funny because I was 17 back then and now I’m 23, but nothing’s changed. I still talked to him over the years, even when I was at Bama and my first two years here. So, yeah, it was picked up where we left off.”

At 15-2, Detroit had the best regular-season record in the NFC last season. But a season after reaching the NFC Championship Game, the Lions lost to the Washington Commanders 45-31 in their playoff opener.

“We know what we want to do,” Gibbs said about the 2025 season. “Not too much talking needs to be said about it, so we’re just going to work to try to get that.”

Detroit plays in the NFL’s first preseason game when the Lions square off against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night in Canton, Ohio, in the annual Hall of Fame Game.

After four preseason games, Detroit will open its regular-season schedule on Sept. 7 against the Green Bay Packers.

Whenever Gibbs makes his first appearance, he’ll be wearing a new number after being in No. 26 for two seasons. Gibbs switched to No. 0 for 2025.

That number had belonged to Terrion Arnold in 2024. But for his second season, the cornerback has switched to No. 6 in memory of former Alabama teammate Khyree Jackson. Jackson died in a traffic accident on July 6, 2024.

“I just didn’t like 26,” Gibbs said. “When I got drafted, that was the lowest number available.”

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I live in a gated community. There is a gate box where people can punch in the code to open the gate and let them in.

In both of our vehicles, we have a remote that we press to open the gate. There have been numerous occasions when I’ve been behind someone attempting to enter the code, and I have used the remote to open the gate for them.

Is it impolite to give a brief honk on my car horn to let the person know the gate is opening, or should I just wait until they notice it’s opening, thinking they’ve done it?

GENTLE READER: But then how will they learn?

Granted, the second option is more entertaining, what with its potential to convince these drivers that they are magical. But it is more damaging to their learning curve — and your wait time — in the long run.

Miss Manners suggests instead that you give that brief honk, followed by a little wave and point that says, “We have the remote. And you do not.”

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at missmanners.com, by email to [email protected], or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When we have a large family dinner, between 10 and 21 people, there is one child whose parents allow her to be on her tablet, with volume on high. She comes into the house, whizzes by everyone present and goes directly to the table to set up her tablet.

I disapprove of this, and feel that the host or hostess needs to express to the parents that devices are not allowed at the dining table. There are other children her age present, but their parents do not allow them to have their tablets.

My belief is the hostess can set such rules, but there are others who feel you cannot tell another parent how to parent their child. I feel that it’s “my house, my rules.”

So, Miss Manners, can we tell parents what the rule is at our house, and allow the other guests a quieter dinner?

GENTLE READER: Why go through the parents? Miss Manners suggests you go straight to the source, quietly telling the child that you are sorry, but you do not allow electronics at the dinner table. At which point the child will turn to her parents — and you will find something urgent to do in the kitchen so as to avoid eye contact with them.

If the plan is unsuccessful, you can always drop a pair of headphones casually at her place setting. So as to at least ensure quiet for the others.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at missmanners.com, by email to [email protected], or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Dear Annie: I’m a 36-year-old male. I moved away from home a year ago to be with my now ex-girlfriend. Things didn’t work out in the relationship, but I have a home here and love this small town. I took a job and work 76-plus hours weekly.

Now I have an opportunity to take a break and get away, so I decided to see my family back home.

But my father created a mess. He has a bunch of plans, as in driving a long way and only staying one night. I put a stop to that, explaining that I won’t have a ton of time on this trip. When I said that, he got mad and hung up on me. Now he is mad and telling my brother that I don’t have time for him, so he is done.

I’m thinking about canceling my trip altogether because this was a chance to get away from stress, but instead, it is adding more. — Lone Wolf

Dear Lone Wolf: Your dad no doubt has the best of intentions, but he is clueless about how you want to relax with family after working your tail off for the past year. From his perspective, he is so excited to see you that he wanted to plan a visit that’s jampacked with fun activities and excursions for you to enjoy together as father and son.

The key to less stress here is communication and managing expectations. Your time at home is finite, and there are certainly better ways to spend it than driving all over the place for just one activity or outing. Call your dad and plan out the timeline for your visit. Allow him to keep one or two of his bigger plans on the agenda and suggest spending the rest of the time closer to home. What matters most is getting to reconnect and be with one another, wherever that may be.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].

Dear Annie: I’ve been with my girlfriend for seven years and lived with her for four. She wants to get married and have kids. For the past three years, I’ve promised to propose every six months, but when the time comes, I back out. I even went ring shopping but couldn’t pull the trigger.

Although I want to get married and have kids one day, just the discussions of such a commitment give me serious anxiety to the point where I cannot breathe. I want us to travel the world before tying the knot, but she’s too attached to her job. My family says I am too young to get married at 27 and that if I need counseling now, before even proposing, things will only get worse when we have a mortgage and kids. My therapist says contemplating marriage should be exciting and happy, but all I feel is trapped. I love her, and living with her is fun, but marrying her feels like doom. She says I am stringing her along without a timeline as she is pushing 30, but I’m honest that I cannot guarantee if and when I’ll be ready. Do I propose with a five-year engagement? — To Wed or Not To Wed

Dear To Wed: If the idea alone of marrying this woman is leaving you short of breath and like you’re approaching “doom,” absolutely do not propose or continue promising her any kind of timeline you have no intention of keeping. It’s clear you two are on completely different pages — in different books, even — and for either of you to change your mind just for the sake of the other would be unfair and likely disastrous.

Your relationship has reached an impasse. I’d recommend couples therapy, in addition to continuing your individual counseling, to confront your commitment issues and see if there’s hope for building a future you’re both excited about. What you have to sort out is how much of this is your overall fear of commitment versus your feelings for your girlfriend.

Do you think of all marriages as traps? Or is it just marriage to this woman that would leave you feeling trapped? With good therapy, you can sort this out.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].

The season of the cat is well underway, and the signs are showing. The moon moves into Virgo, where real work gets done — practical, focused, precise. If it doesn’t serve the bottom line, why are we doing it? But let’s remember that rest, play, silliness and love are also what the bottom line needs. They oil the gears, restore the battery, sharpen the tools. Without them, even the best systems stall.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Before diving into a pursuit — a conversation, a project, a relationship — sense the energy. Is it open or closed? Receptive or withholding? You don’t have to chase everything. Choose what calls you forward.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your willingness to do something today depends less on the activity itself and more on who’s involved. If someone you like, trust or admire is doing it, you’re all in. If it’s someone you have tension with, it’s a no.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Thriving doesn’t have to mean constantly wrestling your weaknesses into submission. Play to your strengths. It will still be a game of challenge, but you’ll be investing most deeply where you already have an edge and building mastery from that advantage.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). A pattern is breaking — no big drama here, but it’s enough for you to notice. A different question gets asked, a habit skips a beat and suddenly you’re in new territory. Keep talking. Something golden shapes up in the words you didn’t know you wanted to say.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Unconditional love is the hardest to give, especially to yourself. Stay with yourself through the good, the bad and the ugly. You will not believe the transformational magic that begins with loving yourself for just existing exactly as you are.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It’s natural for you to carry many energies, and you’ll enjoy the way people respond when you show up fully in each one. You’ll move seamlessly between roles today — the host, the problem-solver, the spark.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You sense there’s a dazzling prize to go for. Half of it is the confidence you gain in yourself as you solve the puzzles. You’ll follow instincts you can’t explain. You’ll feel when to say it, when to pull back and when to move in for a bold ask.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). An offhand comment from someone unexpected hits a nerve — in a good way. You’ll take it and run with it, using their remark as fuel. This is how new ambitions start: an unassuming conversation, a casual connection, an unmistakable flicker that turns into a fire.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your sense of humor is your compass. You’ll laugh in the right places — never mean, always because you recognize the truth and want to connect. Someone new will feel immediately comfortable around you, which leads to exciting collaboration.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’ll show kindness before certainty, and it makes all the difference. Someone around you is trying to be brave. Your presence helps them continue. Without realizing it, you’re changing the outcome of their day — and maybe more than that.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ll sense a mood before words are spoken and shift your tone with perfect instinct. This makes you the person others want around — the one who makes awkward things smooth and stuck things move. It feels good to be useful and elegant.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’re aware of the emotional weather — when to stay indoors, when to invite someone into your space and when to let a storm pass without comment. Your timing helps you stay connected without taking on extra weight.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 26). This year, your legend begins a bold new chapter. You’ll move with the knowing of someone guided — by ancestors, instincts or unseen muses. More highlights: You’ll be deeply seen by someone who brings out your full potential, and it changes how you see yourself — limitless. A brilliant collaboration pays financially, practically and emotionally. You’ll invest in something lasting and help family. Virgo and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 20, 11, 3, 44, and 28.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Like a Leo, if you start him up, he’ll “never stop, never stop, never, never, never stop.” Mick Jagger has the lion’s hyper-wattage star power throughout his chart with Mars in Taurus, a sign of tenacity, longevity and an abiding love of the finer things in life. Venus and Neptune in Virgo are the indicators of a voracious appetite for work. Currently, Jagger is producing a biopic about Miles Davis, and the Stones are reportedly busy recording a new album ahead of a 2026 European tour.

Holiday Mathis’ debut novel, “How To Fail Epically in Hollywood,” is out now! This fast-paced romp about achieving Hollywood stardom is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit creatorspublishing.com for more information. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

An Alabama man who has been on the run for 17 years was nabbed by U.S. Marshals Friday in southwest Florida.

The U.S. Marshals Service arrested John Joseph “Jay” Kloss III, now 67, in North Port, Florida in Sarasota County.

Kloss has been sought by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office since 2008 when he was indicted on two counts of first-degree sodomy of a child under the age of 12 and one count of second-degree sodomy of a child.

Authorities have previously said that Kloss believed he was a descendant of Rob Roy MacGregor, a famous Scottish folk hero and outlaw of the early 18th century who is sometimes known as the Scottish Robin Hood.

Prior to fleeing after the 2008 indictments by a Jefferson County grand jury, Kloss vowed he would never be found by law enforcement, Northern District of Alabama U.S. Marshal Marty Keely previously said.

Kloss had extensive experience with computers and electronics and has worked as an IT engineer and a game developer.

He also was briefly employed as a residential alarm installer in 2000 and worked for an airport refueling planes after high school.

At the time of his disappearance, Kloss had experience as a HAM Radio operator and in broadcasting HAM Radio over the internet using online repeaters, authorities said.

He had some outdoors experience with specific knowledge of horseshoeing.

Kloss was also wanted by the Northern District of Alabama U.S. Marshals Service for a federal flight to avoid prosecution charge.

Kloss has been a wanted fugitive since Operation FALCON in 2008.

Authorities said his case has been worked extensively by over 30 different task force officers and senior inspectors over the years.

USMS officials said Friday developments in the case arose in September 2024 to both the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force (GCRFTF) in Alabama and the Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force (FCRFTF).

The two task forces used investigative techniques to confirm the suspect’s identity in July.

Age progression photos provided by the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office were compared to recent photos of the suspect.

Members of the USMS GCRFTF, FCRFTF and the USMS Middle District of Florida arrested Kloss without incident.

“This apprehension proves again that no matter how long a criminal has been on the run, we never stop looking for them,” said Middle District of Florida U.S. Marshal William Berger, Sr.

“Our dedicated team of investigators and deputies as well as our partners never let this case get cold.”

“The cooperative effort seen on this capture proves again that criminals, especially of this kind, have no safe place here in Florida,” Berger said.

“It is well known that Kloss’s last words to a co-worker before he went on the run were ‘They will never find me’. Today, we indeed found him.”

Before Tuesday night, the last time fans in Tuscaloosa had seen Montana Fouts toe the rubber at Rhoads Stadium was on May 28, 2023.

Seventeen days after sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Fouts worked 3.2 innings of relief as Alabama defeated Northwestern 3-2 in the deciding game of an NCAA Super Regional to send the Crimson Tide to the Women’s College World Series.

This week, Fontana returned to her alma mater with the Talons of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. The Talons finished their regular-season schedule with games against the Volts on Tuesday and Wednesday and will play the Bandits in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League Championship, a best-of-three series starting on Saturday.

“Yesterday, I would say I was pretty overwhelmed,” Fouts told Softball America after Wednesday night’s game, “but it was like an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. I feel like just being here just a lot of memories came back. Like, they talk about the sights, the smells, all of the things, and I feel like all of that kind of just hit me in the best way possible because I was just really thankful to have all those memories.

“But then now to be able to recreate them with this team because I’m just so fortunate to love each and every one of them, too, so it’s just being able to have your worlds collide and experience the gratitude. But then now we’re on a mission, and I’m excited to do it.”

The AUSL Championship starts at 2 p.m. CDT Saturday. Game 2 is set for 1 p.m. Sunday. If needed, Game 3 will be played at 6 p.m. Monday. ESPN will televise the first two games of the championship series from Rhoads Stadium, with ESPN2 getting the potential telecast on Monday.

Fouts will start in the circle for the Talons in Sunday’s game.

Saturday’s game is sold out, but tickets are available online for the games on Sunday and Monday.

The first-year softball circuit has four teams – the Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volts – that barnstormed through 24 games apiece in the league’s first season. The schedule included stops in Rosemont, Illinois; Wichita, Kansas; Sulphur, Louisiana; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Norman, Oklahoma; Omaha, Nebraska; Round Rock, Texas; Seattle and Salt Lake City as well as Tuscaloosa.

The Talons had the best regular-season record at 18-6, with the Bandits qualifying for the championship series at 15-9.

Bandits shortstop Skylar Wallace played at Alabama in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, then played for Florida for three seasons.

Fouts completed the regular season with a 3-2 record in 11 games, including five starts. She posted a 2.71 ERA in 31 innings. Fouts struck out 26 while yielding 27 hits and nine walks. The Talons put Fouts on the injured list on June 20, and she returned to the active roster on July 13.

On Tuesday, Fouts got the pitching win by working the first four innings of the Talons’ 6-4 victory. She struck out six and yielded three runs on four hits and two walks.

On Wednesday, the Volts turned around the score for a 6-4 victory over the Talons on the final night of the regular season. Fouts struck out the side in the top of the seventh in a relief appearance, then signed autographs for what amounted to a reunion of her fan club, including girls at least 2 years older than the last time they saw her pitch.

“They like show me pictures from us, like, two years ago,” Fouts said, “and it’s like all of them grow like this much, and I’m like, ‘This isn’t fair.’ But it’s truly an honor to be here and be able to play. And I mean, they’re the future, like, being able to come here and support us as Talons and not just Alabama. I feel like that’s just going to help the sport grow, and I’ve met several girls tonight that told me that they want to be out here one day, and that’s exactly what I was doing when I was that age. So I just think the sport’s growing, and it’s beautiful.”

A four-time All-American selection by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association – first team in 2021 and 2023 and second team in 2019 and 2022 — at Alabama, Fouts posted a 100-32 record with a 1.66 earned-run average in 160 games. In 852.2 innings, Fouts struck out 1,181 with the Crimson Tide.

The NFCA Pitcher of the Year in 2021, Fouts threw a no-hitter against UCLA in the Women’s College World Series that season.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

Tennessee Titans cornerback Roger McCreary usually has the broad and bland “to get better” response when asked in training camp about his personal goal for the season. But before Year 4 in the NFL, the former Williamson High School and Auburn standout has a specific and possibly unique objective.

“That’s one thing I really want to do is talk more trash, get in people’s heads,” McCreary said during an appearance on NFL Network’s “The Insiders.” “… I feel like a lot of people underestimate me with that because I’m so quiet, so I feel like I just got to bring it out like me off the field. I have fun and talk trash to my friends, but when I get on the field, I just do my work and be quiet. But now I just got to show.”

After joining Tennessee in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, McCreary played every defensive snap as a rookie. In 2024, McCreary did not intercept a pass for the first time in his career, but he did tie the Indianapolis Colts’ Mike Hilton for the most tackles for loss among the NFL’s defensive backs with 12.

This season, McCreary wants to establish himself as the top slot cornerback in the NFL.

“That’s always been my goal is just to get better every year,” McCreary said. “But now it’s me trying to be the top. I want to be the top corner. I want to be the top person in the game, the DB that people talk about because I feel like a lot of people look over me and just don’t look at the plays I make on the field. So it’s just my time to show people that I’m out there, I’m on the field, I matter, and I’m going to show them that. …

“This year is personal. Everybody know me as a quiet guy, I would say, and I feel like going to my Year 4 I got to show them all of me. I just got to express who I truly am on and off the field, and I feel like this the year. It’s contract year, and I’m just going to give everybody all I got and just show people who I’m truly made of on that field.”

McCreary is entering the final season of his four-year, $9.166 million rookie contract. This offseason, the Chicago Bears made Kyler Gordon the NFL’s highest-paid slot corner with a three-year, $40 million contract. The Jacksonville Jaguars signed slot corner Jourdan Lewis away from the Dallas Cowboys with a three-year, $30 million contract.

“I watched their game,” McCreary said. “I see how they play, and I feel like I play up to that level, too, man. I just want to show people what type player I am. I deserve to have that, so I want to show people that I can be just as at that level as they can, too.”

In McCreary’s first NFL season, the Titans won seven games. In his second, they won six. And by falling to three victories in 2024, Tennessee got the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Titans used No. 1 choice to acquire Miami (Fla.) quarterback Cam Ward. McCreary said Ward has “confidence through the roof, and that’s what type person we need.”

“Going into this season with the Titans,” McCreary said, “I feel like we’re going to show people who we really made of and what we truly are because I feel like a lot of people don’t respect us. They don’t talk about the Titans a lot, and I feel like this year, especially with Cam Ward, that guy, that quarterback, I feel like we’re going to do good with him.”

Tennessee starts its three-game preseason schedule on Aug. 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Titans’ regular-season slate kicks off on Sept. 7 against the Denver Broncos.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.