Much of what the Tennessee Titans have struggled with throughout the 2025-26 season have been of their own doing. On top of their seemingly inescapable coaching circus at the center of the front office, the team has consistently seen staffing changes and play-calling chances fail to pay off in equal respects. It seems as if nothing the navy blue do has a chance to go well, but it isn’t entirely their fault.
The name of the game as far as what Tennessee can’t help is, as it goes for most every team at one point or another, the injury bug. On both sides of the football, the Titans have seen crucial veteran pieces miss extensive time due to various nagging health problems.
On offense, seasoned wide receiver Calvin Ridley has missed continual time with a hamstring injury, just now returning to limited practice, while the defense has suffered even more so; the likes of defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and edge rusher Arden Key have all been forced to watch from the sideline as the team flounders in their wake.
Now, coming off a particularly needed bye week, the latter key aspect – pun intended – of the Titans defense has also returned to practice in limited form. Key spoke with the media after he was spotted participating in on-field activities this week.
“I felt good, just getting my wind back, getting my conditioning back,” Key said. “It felt good to be around the team, felt good to laugh, felt good to get out of the training room.”
Arden Key is feeling good and excited to get back at it in his two favorite months of the year: pic.twitter.com/FFNY1tJyN9
— AtoZ Sports Nashville (@AtoZSports) November 12, 2025
“I am confident,” he said. “As y’all know, I have been around for a minute, November and December is my two months where I show out. So I am confident with where I’m at, confident in the timing of it. I just have to work on my conditioning, and I am doing extra to get that up.”
Having been sidelined with a quadriceps injury for four games, the Titans’ usual go-to piece off the edge could not be eyeing a more timely return to the defensive line. At 1-8, Tennessee could use anything at this point to move the needle and make plays; returning a premier piece on the line makes the potential improvement that much more potent.
Going forward, Key’s return, alongside his additional injured teammates, could spell at least a few additional wins to accompany Tennessee’s current lone victory. That alone may generate enough momentum to spur the franchise into an expectedly exciting offseason.