Tennessee Titans football had better be ready for Arden Key's energy

julian basena, nashville tennessean

Tue, Aug 1, 2023, 11:19 PM·2 min read

Arden Key has certainly lived up to his “Energizer bunny” approach. He’s animated from the start of practice until the very end. The hollering and the trash talk come naturally. Key says he gets it from his Atlanta upbringing, where, according to him, no one is quiet.

“That’s just me. I don’t know any quiet person from Atlanta,” Key said. “I think that’s just in our nature.”

The Titans edge rusher was presented his first offseason challenge when Jefferey Simmons was sent to the sandpit Tuesday after a skirmish with Jamarco Jones. With Simmons out, Key took the responsibility of being more vocal to make up for his absence. He saw it as an opportunity to prepare for the season ahead.

“It’s always the next guy up,” Key said. “During the season, God forbid, he might get hurt, I might get hurt.”

Key, who is on his fourth team, believes he’s more fit for a leadership role after spending 2022 with Jacksonville, where he helped set the edge for a Jaguars defense that stormed to its first playoff appearance in five seasons.

“Last year I kinda stepped into the role of a leader,” said Key, who had 4.5 sacks. “A lot of guys gravitate towards me, but I feel like I’m ready and mature enough to step into that leader role — I have stepped into it.”

Azeez Al-Shaair seemingly didn’t get enough of Key at practice. During Key’s scheduled podium visit Tuesday, Key fielded a question from Al-Shaair, who sat among the media.

He asked about Key’s body transformation. The former LSU standout shed 40 pounds from his hefty 280-pound frame he had when they were teammates on the 49ers in 2021.

“Talk to me about how you took care of your body,” Al-Shaair asked before describing how the bottom of Key’s stomach used to “roll over his pads.”