'Disrespected' OLB Arden Key intensifies Tennessee Titans-Jacksonville Jaguars rivalry
Just a few months after ending the Tennessee Titans' playoff dreams as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, outside linebacker Arden Key has defected to the other side of the rivalry.
Key, one of the five free agent signees the Titans announced Monday, was instrumental in the Jaguars' run to seizing the AFC South title away from the Titans last season. He logged 4.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits, including 2.5 sacks and nine QB hits in the Jaguars' five-game winning streak to end the season.
But after the season ended, Key found he wasn't factored into the Jaguars' plans for the future.
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"With Jacksonville, it was a shock to me," Key said. "I ain’t gonna lie. After the year, I thought I was going to be a Jacksonville Jaguar. I felt disrespected. I came over there, lifted up the culture, brought a whole lot of energy, changed the city, changed the town and I felt like in my rightful mind I was going to be a Jacksonville Jaguar. That didn’t happen."
The Titans are Key's fourth team in six NFL seasons. He played his first three years with the Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders, rarely finding his way onto the field in more than a third-down pass rush specialist's role. He emerged in Year 4 with the San Francisco 49ers, bringing down quarterbacks a career-high 6.5 times. But with several high-priced pass rushers already on roster, the 49ers encouraged Key to test free agency, landing him with Jacksonville last season.
With Jacksonville, Key put up similar numbers to those he had in San Francisco but still wasn't given the chance to start or be an every-down edge defender. In Tennessee, Key sees himself finally getting that opportunity.
He reached out to Titans like cornerback Kristian Fulton, safety Kevin Byard and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons before signing with the team to gauge what kind of a coach Mike Vrabel is and see how he fits in with the culture. He calls himself the "Energizer Bunny" and beams with joy talking about how good it feels to hit quarterbacks.
He wants to bring the same culture and energy to Nashville that he brought to Jacksonville. And he's extremely aware of the opportunity he'll get to prove wrong the team he feels disrespected him.
"I still love the players, love the teammates, love the city, love the fans (in Jacksonville)," Key said with a knowing smile. "But, yeah, we’ve got to see them twice."
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 'Disrespected' OLB Arden Key adds to Tennessee Titans-Jaguars rivalry
