Tennessee Titans linebacker Shane Ray has been patiently waiting for an opportunity since his last NFL snap in 2018.
As a former first-round pick of the Denver Broncos, the 31-year-old had aspirations of a long playing career. However, injuries limited his playing time to just 19 games, including seven starts, over his last two seasons in the league.
As a result, the Broncos declined Ray’s fifth-year option, and he was free to sign wherever he felt was the best next step. However, NFL teams were not exactly all jumping to commit a long-term contract to the linebacker.
Although the Baltimore Ravens signed him in May 2019, he was released before the season began. Following this, Ray spent two seasons in the Canadian Football League, but his second year was cut short due to a torn bicep.
Video of Shane Ray, the newest #Titans OLB, at training camp this AM pic.twitter.com/zydqFKWMEa
— Nick Suss (@nicksuss) July 25, 2024
In an attempt to secure another NFL contract, he participated in the Buffalo Bills’ minicamp tryout in May 2023 and was later signed, only to be forced off the roster due to another injury.
Still determined to play, Ray dedicated himself to getting healthy and into football-playing shape so that he would be ready if a team did call.
“I put myself in a routine and a schedule of just training like I was in the NFL, even though I wasn’t, at the time,” Ray said via Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “I was just dedicating myself to the game: waking up every day, going to the gym, working out, running, working on my hands, working on my pass rush, and making sure that I was still in this type of shape. That was my life for four years straight, so this opportunity coming, I’ve been prepared for this for a really long time.”
The Titans brought Ray in for a tryout during the team’s rookie minicamp in May. Already familiar with him and needing to bolster the position, Tennessee signed him earlier in training camp.
However, neither he nor the Titans knew potentially how impactful the signing would be.
Following the news of Arden Key’s six-game suspension, Ray is already looking at an expanded role with the team. Given his injury history, the Titans may opt to look externally, but Ray could be a significant contributor to the Titans’ pass rush if he can stay healthy.
Forgot to post this one earlier, but Shane Ray with the pressure which almost certainly would’ve been a sack pic.twitter.com/yXWdCSKS3a
— the metten burger (@themettenburger) July 27, 2024
In his first two seasons in the league, he amassed a combined 68 tackles, including 20 for loss, 28 quarterback hits, 12 sacks, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.
While it would be easy to envision himself back in a starting role, given how things have played out recently, Ray knows that it’s been a process to get to this point. He needs to continue focusing on the next day of staying healthy and putting in the good work in camp and preseason.
“For me, it’s been one step at a time,” he said. “Training, training, training, and talking to my agent, praying to God: is there something? Is there something available? Does somebody want to bring me in? Is there an opportunity? Those moments were highs and lows because sometimes it was like, ‘Hey, we might have something,’ and other times like, ‘Hey, man, we got to go train for another five, six weeks.’
“So, for me, the call itself was amazing. Then, walking to the building was amazing, meeting the coaches was amazing, and having my first minicamp workout back was amazing. Every step that I’ve taken up to this point is another milestone that, for a long time, I just dreamed about it, and prayed about it, and worked for.”