Alright, we’ve gone down a bit of a rabbit hole this offseason on the Tennessee Titans Throwback Thursday column, talking about Justin Hunter, Chris Palmer, and Jarrett Payton. So, let’s get back to some of the fan favorites…some of the real legends of this franchise. When you look back through the years, the Titans have always had a strong pedigree of safeties. That lineage started before the team even got to Nashville, with guys like Blaine Bishop, Marcus Robertson, and then through the years, guys like Chris Hope, Michael Griffin, and now Kevin Byard have added to it. For the last 20+ years, the Titans have always had a cornerstone type of piece at safety. It’s almost as if it’s a really important position, huh?
But, when you start splitting hairs and trying to answer the question of who the greatest safety to wear two-tone blue is, I think you land on Bishop. He was an Indiana kid that grew up in the Indianapolis area and went on to play for Ball State, where he had a super productive career. He earned 2nd Team All-MAC honors twice during his time there, and was named team captain his senior year. His leadership skills were often cited by his Titans teammates – that’s something that was developed early on in Bishop and stuck with him throughout his NFL career. He was an 8th round selection by the Houston Oilers in 1993, and stuck with the Oilers/Titans all the way through 2001. After one season in Philadelphia, during which he played alongside Brian Dawkins (how is THAT for a safety duo?), Bishop hung up the cleats after the 2002 season.
Throughout his career, Bishop was named to four Pro Bowls and earned 2nd Team All-Pro in 2000. But, for me as a Titans fans, it’s always the style of play that I remember most about Bishop. He was the prototypical fire starter – a smart, dependable safety that was among the best tacklers in the game during his prime. They don’t call him The Hitman for nothin’ – to this day, people still bring up Bishop’s name when talking about the hardest hitters in this franchise’s history. Bishop was a tough player, sure – but he approached the game with passion and that translated to intensity and aggression on the field. His teammates bought into it and that’s part of what made him such a great leader. His scrappy and feisty demeanor seemed to fire guys up.
Bishop was the type to knock you flat on your ass and then stand over you staring as if he was trying to take your soul. Sometimes, it looked like he succeeded in that. He was the perfect fit on those Jeff Fisher teams of the early Titans days. And, when you start thinking about what makes a player memorable among the fan base, it’s guys like Bishop who give this team its historical identity and define what it means to be a Titan. Even by the standards of the NFL today, and the fact that you can’t quite hit the way you could in the 1990s, Bishop’s fire, tenacity, and dedication make him the quintessential Tennessee Titan.
Follow Bishop on Twitter and tune in to Blaine and Mickey on 104.5 The Zone weekdays from 1-3PM. In 2017, Bishop was announced as an inductee into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
Career Stat Line:
- NFL: 738 tackles, five interceptions, 12 passes deflected, 15 TFLs, 12 forced fumbles, 11 fumbles recovered, 15.5 sacks, one touchdown
- Titans: 697 tackles, five interceptions, 10 passes deflected, 13 TFLs, 12 forced fumbles, 11 fumbles recovered, 13.5 sacks, one touchdown
TENNESSEE TITANS THROWBACK THURSDAY ARCHIVES
- Drew Bennett
- Keith Bulluck
- Eddie George
- Michael Griffin
- Lavelle Hawkins
- Albert Haynesworth
- Chris Henry
- Chris Hope
- Justin Hunter
- Brandon Jones
- Derrick Mason
- Dexter McCluster
- Steve McNair
- Chris Palmer
- Jarrett Payton
- Myron Rolle
- Samari Rolle
- Alterraun Verner
- Ken Whisenhunt
- LenDale White
- Vince Young
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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