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Tennessee Titans tight end Jonnu Smith stepped up in a big way for his team in the Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, as the fourth-year pro totaled 84 receiving yards and two scores, both career-highs for him.
Adding to that, Smith got the Titans’ offense moving early with a 63-yard reception on the first play, and he has found pay dirt three times in two games, which already ties his career-high for touchdowns in a single season.
Smith, who is well on his way to the breakout season we are all expecting, spoke about his performance after the game, courtesy of Jim Wyatt of Titans Online.
“I work hard, and I’ve been blessed with a God-given ability, and it would be a disservice to my teammates, to myself, if I didn’t live that out,” Smith said. “I’ve never started a season out as tight end 1, and with that comes a lot of great things. You are able to have more opportunities to make plays and put yourself, put your team, in a better position to win. I just work really hard, and I am just so blessed and humbled to be able to showcase everything that I have been blessed with and work for.”
Head coach Mike Vrabel heaped praise on Smith, not just for the impressive player he is, but also for he human being he has become.
“He continues to improve, he’s a great teammate, he’s an unbelievable player to coach and to be around every day,” Vrabel said of Smith. “I’ve always admired his upbringing – I know his mom has done a fantastic job raising him. He’s a great teammate, he works hard, and you are always happy to see good things happen to those type of people.”
Smith was very complimentary of his head coach, who he says is one of the best he has ever been around.
“I’ve played this game for a long time, and to me, the best coaches that I’ve been around were those who were more than coaches, and that’s what you’ve got in Coach Vrabes,” Smith said. “He is more than a coach, and you don’t just see the football side of him — you see genuine love and care for all of his players. And I respect the heck out of him for that, to come in here and actually care about what is going on in our lives outside of football.
“To be around a man like that for the past few years has been great for me, and I am blessed to have the opportunity to be coached by a man like him. I am just happy to be here, and happy to be a part of this organization.”
Smith and the Titans will look to continue their perfect start — at least, record-wise — to the 2020 campaign when they hit the road to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3.
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