In the growing list of proof that Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is more than just the guy who hands off to running back Derrick Henry, we can now add his performance under pressure to it.
According to NFL.com’s Nick Shook, Tannehill ranked No. 1 in the NFL among quarterbacks when under pressure last season (minimum 250 pass attemps), based on the metrics of Next Gen Stats.
UNDER PRESSURE: 112.4 passer rating, +8.7% completion rate above expectation, 64.2% completion rate.
Tannehill’s return to a starting gig came at an unexpected turning point in the Titans’ season. Coach Mike Vrabel needed a spark at the most important position on the field, and he found it in Tannehill in Week 7. The one-time first-round pick by the Dolphins teamed with Derrick Henry to resurrect Tennessee’s offense and help the Titans sprint to the AFC Championship Game, recording a pair of stunning playoff victories in the process. Tannehill did it by performing masterfully under pressure, posting the only passer rating above 110 in such circumstances in the entire league (among those with a minimum of 250 total pass attempts) while also targeting receivers in tight windows on 23.9 percent of such attempts. He pushed the ball under pressure more than any other quarterback, becoming the only qualified passer to average 10-plus yards per attempt under pressure in a season since 2016. His completion percentage above expectation of +8.7 punctuated his stellar campaign, which was good enough to earn him NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors — and a new contract for four years and $118 million, with $62 million guaranteed. As Robert Griffin III loves to say, no pressure, no diamonds.
The @NextGenStats Top 10 QBs Under Pressure
Where does @ryantannehill1 rank? Hint: Skip to the end pic.twitter.com/JwiAeFbJfU
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) June 5, 2020
Here’s a list of other articles we’ve done showing just how good of a season Tannehill had beyond just the box score in 2019.
- Titans’ Ryan Tannehill, A.J. Brown had NFL’s most improbable completion in 2020
- Tennessee Titans’ Ryan Tannehill named as one of best deep-ball QBs from 2019
- Titans’ Ryan Tannehill was elite at making difficult throws in 2019
- Tennessee Titans’ Ryan Tannehill made 4 throws better than any QB in 2019
When Tannehill’s detractors try to put him down, they usually point to the two playoff wins in which Henry carried the Titans on his back and the quarterback didn’t have to do much.
What they fail to ever mention is that there were 10 games before those in which Tannehill was sensational en route to sparking the turnaround that got the Titans to the playoffs in the first place.
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