NASHVILLE, Tenn. — This offseason, the Tennessee Titans secured wide receiver Calvin Ridley as one of their major free agent signings, handing him a lucrative four-year contract worth $92 million.
Ridley, who was a first-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Alabama, had an especially frustrating game on Sunday—his performance marking the lowest point since joining the Titans. In their 20-17 defeat against the Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Will Levis targeted Ridley with eight passes, the highest for any player on the team. However, Ridley finished the game without making a catch, which left him visibly dissatisfied as the Titans fell to 1-4.
In a candid moment, Ridley expressed his frustration, saying, “I had targets in what part of the game? It is what it is, but I sucked today and have to be better.” He emphasized that he needs the ball thrown to him earlier in games to establish a connection. Levis attempted two passes to Ridley in the second quarter and leaned on him again in the fourth, with five additional throws. Unfortunately, one of these attempts was intercepted by Julian Blackmon late in the game, a moment that prompted fans to cry out for a defensive interference penalty that was not called.
Ridley noted that while he was focused on beating his defender, he was unaware of the safety who was closing in on the play. Colts head coach Shane Steichen acknowledged Ridley’s capabilities, stating that his defense effectively contained the talented receiver. “They were playing aggressive with tight man coverage on a lot of those situations and made big-time plays,” Steichen commented on his team’s defense.
Titans offensive coordinator Brian Callahan highlighted the need for Ridley to contribute significantly for the team to succeed. Callahan said that Ridley would recognize the disappointment in his performance, adding, “But he’s one of our best players, and we look to him to try to make a play or two, and we didn’t get it done at the end of the game. We got to be better all the way around, offensively.”
As Ridley approaches his 30th birthday in December, he has been targeted a total of 27 times this season, reeling in only nine receptions for 141 yards and a single touchdown. This touchdown was a remarkable 40-yard catch that initially appeared to be intercepted, which currently stands as his most notable moment of the season.
In contrast, five-time Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins led the team with four catches totaling 54 yards, placing him second in receptions behind running back Tony Pollard with 14. Hopkins has established himself as the leading receiver for the Titans with 175 yards. He remarked, “It’s not just Calvin; it’s everybody. You know Calvin isn’t the only person playing.”