For as late in their season as the Tennessee Titans currently are, especially given their abysmal overall record (1-10), the team’s latest loss to the Seattle Seahawks yielded a series of unexpected firsts that have gone a long way in reinvigorating the fans at Nissan Stadium.
Among the most prevalent was the continued, now demanding improvement of rookie quarterback Cam Ward. With another performance defined by highlight plays, actual scores and less mistakes by the week (the QB has now eclipsed his turnover numbers with touchdowns thrown), Ward’s upward trajectory has painted the Titans in a positive light online for perhaps the first time all year.
Room to Grow
But amongst the noise generated by Ward and, subsequently, standout rookie receiver Chimere Dike, was the long-anticipated debut of fellow rookie pass-catcher Xavier Restrepo. While not quite as electric as his two aforementioned teammates, Restrepo’s first game showed plenty of promise for what he may be able to do going forward. The Titans’ temporary head coach, Mike McCoy, gave his thoughts on the rookie’s introduction after the game.
“Not bad. I think he’ll tell you there were some route things he could do better,” McCoy said of Restrepo’s debut performance. “Clean it up and get to certain landmarks and where you need to be. But I think overall, he did a nice job.”
“Give him all the credit in the world,” McCoy continued, cutting the WR some slack after outlining areas for improvement. “He’s worked his tail off.”
Mike McCoy says Xavier Restrepo just works and he’s glad he got the opportunity. McCoy said Restrepo’s overall performance was good. pic.twitter.com/5yv0v16KrR
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) November 24, 2025Situationally Exceptional
On six targets, Restrepo hauled in just two receptions against a league-leading Seattle defense. With 26 yards across his pair of catches, the WR exhibited both a streak of skill as well as plenty of room to improve, as McCoy pointed out.
But for a player stuffed into the lineup at the backend of a historically bad season due to an array of injuries at his position? The performance appears about as good as what could be asked of someone in Restrepo’s less than desirable position.
Restrepo also has the added benefit of having played with Ward in college for the Miami Hurricanes, getting a head start on chemistry with the Titans’ expected franchise QB and making an inherent case for his own play time.
Even when Tennessee nurses back to full health on the whole, Restrepo appears in-line for a role in the team’s offense; if not immediately, then in the near future, perhaps once a new HC is hired and the roster undergoes a major shift once more.