For the first time in eight months, the Tennessee Titans are set to take the field and face opponents wearing differing jerseys.
The Titans visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday for a joint practice sessions ahead of their preseason matchup on Aug. 9. The matchup marks the first time that Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, will throw against an opposing squad in a Titans uniform, and marks Ward’s return to the state of Florida where he starred as a senior at the University of Miami in 2024.
This joint practice begins a nine-day stretch where the Titans will spend the entire time on the road. The Titans will go from joint practice and preseason game in Tampa to a week in Atlanta for joint practices and a preseason game against the Falcons, before returning to Nashville for practices and the final week of the preseason, ending on Aug. 22 against Minnesota.
Titans coach Brian Callahan said he will play his starters for at least one or two series in the preseason matchup against Tampa Bay, but the bulk of Thursday’s practice will be devoted to exposing his starters to the competition that comes with facing a team that’s made the playoffs five years in a row. Among the top players who the Titans will have to match up against are quarterback Baker Mayfield, receiver Mike Evans, running back Bucky Irving, defensive lineman Vita Vea, linebacker Lavonte David and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Some of the Titans’ top players include defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, offensive linemen Peter Skoronski and JC Latham and running back Tony Pollard.
Follow below for live updates from Thursday’s practice.
The Titans placed OL Chandler Brewer on IR and signed defensive lineman Joe Gaziano, the team announced Thursday.
The Titans opened training camp on July 23. They have nine practices scheduled between the start of camp and the first preseason game on Aug. 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Titans will match up against the Bucs and the Atlanta Falcons for joint practices before preseason games and will end the preseason by hosting the Minnesota Vikings for a matchup on Aug. 22.
The open dates for fans at Titans practices throughout training camp can be found here.
The Titans will battle Tampa Bay in joint practices on Aug. 7 and in Atlanta on Aug. 12-13. Both joint practice sessions will be on the road.
The Titans play at Tampa Bay on Aug. 9 (6:30 p.m. CT), at Atlanta on Aug. 15 (6 p.m. CT) and against Minnesota on Aug. 22 (7 p.m. CT). The game against the Falcons will be broadcast on NFL Network and the Vikings game will be on CBS.
BetMGM gives the Titans +20,000 odds to win the Super Bowl, tied with the New York Giants for the longest odds in the league. The Titans have +800 odds to win the AFC South, with +425 to make the playoffs.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at  nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.