Titans tight end Jonnu Smith wasn’t supposed to be back on the field yet. Crediting “hard work and dedication,” Smith returned Monday.
He took a knee and prayed after finishing his first practice since his season-ending knee injury Dec. 6.
“It was like the first day of Pop Warner, like I was 5 years old again,” Smith said, via Jim Wyatt of the team website. “Coming out here running, sweating -- all those feelings came back. It reminds me how much I still love the game. I am going on 24 years old and to have the same feeling as I did when I was 4, 5 years old is kind of unbelievable.”
Smith, who caught 20 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns last season, wore a brace on his left knee. He plans to shed it soon.
“Jonnu is one of my favorite players on this team,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. “I don’t have like ‘favorites,’ but he is one of my favorite players on this team. I just love him to death. I love the way he works, I love his attitude. So when he is ready to go in there we’ll see what he can handle and try and get him going.”