Titans have wealth of safety nets

Discussion in 'Tennessee Titans and NFL Talk' started by NewsGrabber, Feb 17, 2009.

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  1. NewsGrabber

    NewsGrabber Guest

    <em>Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky</em> <p><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=3622" target="_new">Chris Hope</a> is a Pro Bowler and <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10463" target="_new">Michael Griffin</a> is on his way.</p> <p>The Titans' starting safeties have more experienced resources in team headquarters than anyone else on the roster.</p> <p>General manager Mike Reinfeldt was an NFL Defensive Player of the Year as a safety. And coach Jeff Fisher, who played in the league as a defensive back with the <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=chi" target="_new">Chicago Bears</a>, has three safeties on his staff:</p> <ul> <li>Newly promoted defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil was an NFL safety for seven years, earning one Pro Bowl spot.</li> <li>Newly promoted secondary coach Marcus Robertson was a safety who was once a first-team All-Pro.</li> <li>New assistant secondary coach Tim Hauck played 13 seasons in the league as a safety.</li> </ul> <p>"We're not lacking safeties in coaching and the front office, that's for sure," Fisher said with a laugh. "I think there is a lot to be said for that experience, because they understand their limitations. We've always said great players don't necessarily make great coaches. But a lot of times, players who've hung around the league a long time -- not the overachiever types, but those who played because they had the mental framework to compete and be successful -- oftentimes make real good coaches."</p> <p>After he was finished playing, Robertson spent four years as the Titans' director of player development.</p> <p>But watching him watch practices and games, you could tell he yearned for more and thought he could make a difference. I remember asking him once if he wouldn't fear the time demands of working as a coach when he had three young children at home, and he said he'd welcome the challenge.</p> <p>When Cecil took over as defensive backs coach in 2007, Fisher carved out a spot for Robertson as Cecil's assistant.</p> <p>With Jim Schwartz moving to Detroit to take over as Lions coach, Fisher bumped both Cecil and Robertson -- who had three of their four starters in the Pro Bowl -- up a rung.</p> <p>"Certainly Marcus' expertise is there in the secondary and clearly he's ready," Fisher said of Robertson, who played 12 NFL seasons, 10 with the Oilers. "He's established a good relationship with the players. He worked very, very well with Chuck. Chuck will certainly still oversee it, but I really feel like the combination of Marcus and Tim will be a nice blend there for the secondary. There is over 20 years of playing experience in the league."</p>

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