Years before outside linebacker Bud Dupree signed a five-year deal that could be worth up to a max of $85 million with the Tennessee Titans on Monday night, he was one of many on a list of players that once wanted to fight left tackle Taylor Lewan.
Lewan is no stranger to conflict on the field, as his boisterous attitude can often aggravate his opponents — and that kind of attitude and toughness is what has also endeared him to Titans fans.
However, it also almost got him into a handicap match with Dupree and edge rusher T.J. Watt when the pair were playing together with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Lewan recently told the story of how he almost had to fight both at the team bus after getting into an on-field scuffle with Watt during a game against the Steelers back in 2017. Thankfully for everyone involved, that did not end up happening.
One time Tj watt and I got into it his rookie year and @Bud_Dupree and TJ said they were gonna fight me at the bus.. they didn’t and I appreciate that. Welcome to the team brother! You are gonna love it here. @titans #ACLbrothers
— Taylor Lewan (@TaylorLewan77) March 16, 2021
Now that’s a handicap match we would have paid to watch on Pay-Per-View, although chances are Lewan would have had help from his teammates.
One thing Lewan and Dupree have in common is that both suffered a torn ACL in 2020, with Lewan suffering his in Week 5 against the Houston Texans and Dupree suffering his in Week 12 versus the Baltimore Ravens.
That, along with remembering their near fight after a game, should be quite the conversation starters when the two meet as teammates.
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