Tennessee Titans safeties Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker are in an exclusive club since the start of 2020 when it comes to nabbing interceptions.
Over that span, Byard leads the team with 10 picks, while Hooker ranks second with seven. As a result, the Titans are one of two teams in the NFL to see two of their safeties record at least seven interceptions since 2020.
The other pair is Buffalo Bills safeties Jordan Poyer (11) and Taylor Rapp, but bear in mind Rapp just joined the Bills in free agency this year. Buffalo’s other starter, Micah Hyde, has notched six interceptions since 2020.
The Titans duo joined this exclusive club last Sunday when Hooker recorded his first interception of 2023 against the New Orleans Saints.
Hooker was also just the sixth NFL player over a five-year span (2019-2023) to record an interception, a forced fumble (defense or special teams) and a fumble recovery (defense or special teams) in the same game.
#Titans Amani Hooker & Kevin Byard are one of the best safety tandems in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/FnXKtmJl49
— Sam Phalen (@Sam_Phalen) September 14, 2023
Sadly, the Iowa product, who has been plagued by injuries in general during his career, left the game prematurely due to suffering his second concussion in two years. For both the team’s and his personal sake, let’s hope Hooker’s concussion issues cease to exist after this latest one.
Nonetheless, there’s no denying that a healthy Byard and Hooker defending the backend of Tennessee’s secondary makes the entire defense better.
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