The 2025 season ended a little early on Jan. 2 for five Tennessee Titans contributors, including one rookie standout who’d played in all 16 games up to this point.
Interim coach Mike McCoy ruled out five players with injuries in the season finale for the Titans (3-13) against the Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) at EverBank Stadium on Jan. 4 (noon CT, FOX), interim coach Mike McCoy ruled out five players with injuries: cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis, outside linebacker Arden Key, receiver Van Jefferson, tight end Gunnar Helm and edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo. McCoy also listed safety Amani Hooker as doubtful to play.
The Armour-Davis and Jefferson listings aren’t surprising; both players exited the Week 17 loss against New Orleans with severe injuries, Armour-Davis to his Achilles and Jefferson to his arm. Helm, the rookie tight end who’s caught 44 passes and two touchdowns in his debut season, has been battling a toe injury since Week 15. Key, who is dealing with a hip injury, is a pending free agent after three seasons with the Titans. And Oladejo has been on injured reserve since Week 6 and, despite returning to practice the last three weeks, will not be activated for the end of the season.
If Hooker is unable to go, the Titans’ depth issues in the defensive backfield become even more dire. Already missing L’Jarius Sneed, Armour-Davis, Xavier Woods, Kevin Winston Jr., and Mike Brown to injury, not to mention the trades that sent Roger McCreary and Jarvis Brownlee Jr., elsewhere, the only healthy player in the Titans’ secondary who’s been with the team continuously since training camp is cornerback Darrell Baker Jr. Expect in-season acquisitions like safeties Jerrick Reed II, Sanoussi Kane and Erick Hallett II and cornerbacks Kaiir Elam and Micah Robinson to play bigger roles. Practice squad player Kemon Hall has been elevated to the active roster in recent weeks to help with the depth issues.
Without Helm, the only tight ends on the Titans’ active roster are Chig Okonkwo and David Martin-Robinson. The other options would include practice squad tight end Cole Turner, as well as extra blocking help from utility linemen like Oli Udoh and Corey Levin.
The Jaguars can clinch the AFC South with a win and still have an outside chance of earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a win and losses by New England and Denver.
The Titans have spoiled the Jaguars’ postseason hopes in Week 18 before, most recently in 2023 with a win in Nashville that doubled as the final Titans performances for running back Derrick Henry, quarterback Ryan Tannehill and coach Mike Vrabel.
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.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans injury update vs Jaguars: Gunnar Helm, 4 more ruled out
