 And I know all of you that covered him and spent time with him and know what a pro he is. We're here to help Delaney Walker retire as a Titan and to speak first, let me introduce our General Manager, John Robinson, with a few opening remarks. John. Good afternoon. So, Delaney, it was fall of 2005 before iPhones and GPSs. I broke out the Rand McNally Atlas. I was in my fourth year as a scout with the Patriots and I made my way to Wernsburg, Missouri, to see the Central Missouri Mules and a hybrid Titan receiver named Delaney Walker. And I happened to find a picture of Delaney in action. He was obviously the best athlete on the field as evidenced by the guy chasing him. And the ball security has improved, but we're a little loose there with the ball. If you'd told me that 17 years later I'd be standing here today. One, as a General Manager and two, talking about that Division II player who went on to have a remarkable NFL career, I'd probably called you crazy. But I was extremely fortunate in 2016 when I came here to the Titans that Delaney was on the football team. He was such a pivotal player for us offensively. He was a difference maker, a huge matchup problem for opposing defenses in that if you put a safety on him, he was going to be too physical for that guy to probably stay with him. If you put a linebacker on him, he was going to be too quick and too fast for him to cover him. And if you played zone, he was so smart and instinctive, he was going to find the void there and get open. All of the accolades that he had on the field, there are numerous to name, but there's four things that impressed me the most about Delaney. One was his work ethic. Two was his toughness. Three was his leadership. And four was his commitment and service to the community around here. All of his on-the-field and off-the-field accomplishments really made him a great example for all football players to look up to and to try to emulate. I'm proud to have worked with you Delaney. We as an organization are extremely excited that you are choosing to retire as a Tennessee Titan. And congrats on every single thing that you've been able to accomplish, man. Proud of you. I just want to make a couple comments about Delaney before we bring him up. Nearly 10 years ago, March 13, 2013, that was the day Delaney Walker became a Titan. And at that moment, almost 29 years old, wasn't always a tight end when playing seven seasons in the Bay Area. He caught an average of one pass per game for San Francisco. He was known more for his blocking and special teams play than his receiving. But he was well known for his toughness. And when he signed with the Titans, most of us who are football fans said, yeah, we know that guy. He wears number 46. But once he became a Titan, he became number 82. And it was like the new number transformed Delaney Walker. It's safe to say that he is one of the great signings in this franchise's history. Over the next five seasons, he averaged five catches per game. 71 catches per season, scored 26 touchdowns, three straight pro bowls. You know what he did off the field? His fight against drunk driving was his number one mission. We could always count on him in good times and bad for the media, for community events. He meant more than just being the great tight end in the number 82 jersey. He stood for excellence and he became a face of the franchise. When you talk about the very best Tennessee Titans, Delaney Walker is at the top of the list. So to all of us, it's only fitting that he is retiring here today in Nashville at Nissan Stadium, where he became regarded as one of the NFL's very best tight ends. Ladies and gentlemen, Tennessee Titan, Delaney Walker. In words, I've been trying not to cry. I'm not the one to cry. And I'm always the guy to tell what's on my mind. So I'm going to sit here and tell you all how I feel. And I want to start off by thanking the Adams family, the Titans organization for giving me that opportunity to come here in 2013. When I was in San Francisco, I knew no one knew who I was when I came here. And they probably thought, why did we get this guy? But the guys that were here, the coaches, the staff, they believed in me. They said, it's all up to you. You have the chance to be great. You just got to take it and run with it. And I looked at that as an opportunity. I knew what I can do in this league. I just needed the opportunity to have that chance to show it. And the Titans gave me that opportunity. And that's why I'm here to retire, because I feel like all my best years in football started here, here in Tennessee. And I'm thankful, thankful to have the career that I have, the family around me, my agents, my publicists, my friends. They all supported me. You guys supported me. I know I could be crazy sometimes and say some wild stuff in the media, but I was just trying to be as real as I can be and let you know how I felt and where the team was going at that time. So I'm thankful. I'm thankful to be standing up here, retiring as a Titan. Everything that they said about me is touch. It's touching. I'm sweating because I don't want to cry, but I'm thankful. I am so thankful to have this opportunity to retire as a Titan. And I just want to see the Titans go forward when a Super Bowl and be successful. That's all I care about and being able to do this. Hopefully this motivates them to get this done, gets them coached because we got things to do. And again, like I said, I'm just thankful to be here and thank you guys. It's been a while since you played. What made this the right time to go ahead and sort of make this official now? I started working with the Legends community and I felt like it was time to transition. It took me a while to realize what the transition was, leaving the NFL. There's no other job in the world like the NFL. So it took me a while to realize that I probably wasn't going to be able to play again. And that moment hit. Once I got my new job, I just realized that it was time to hang it up. And I wanted to do it with the Tennessee Titans. This was a case maybe where the league, the game was done with you before you were done with the game? I would say my body was done with the game, but my mind wasn't. And therefore I knew I wasn't going to be able to play. Just the issues I was having with my ankle, that prevented that. Fourteen years long time. How fast did it go by? I would say it went fast. The first seven years went fast because I barely got the ball. I didn't even know them stats. One catch every game, that's terrible. That went fast, but I think playing my last seven years, it fell forever. Because I think I love where I was at. I love the guys that was in that locker room. And I didn't want it to end. So I think that's why it felt longer being here in Tennessee. Years ago, you made that decision to come here. What was it that made you want to come to a city that you probably never even visited and make it home for so long? Opportunity. The 49ers, they offered me to stay, but I didn't want to be the backup. I didn't want to be the number two. I wanted to be the number one. And I remember Dow calling me up and saying, you know, we have Craig Stevenson, but he are a blocker. We need a receiving tight end. And if you got that skill set and you know you can be number one, then the job is yours. So I took that as a challenge and I came here and it happened. And that's what I was looking for. Just that opportunity to be the number one guy. How personally validating was that once you came here and had the kind of career that you did? It was big. That was a goal. You know, I said, look, they don't know nothing about me. All they see is that I'm a tough guy. I can play special teams and I can catch the ball once again. So I knew my goals was to show them, show the city of Tennessee that they didn't make a bad free agency pick up. I was going to be that guy. I was going to be accountable and I was going to be tough and I was going to play my heart out every game. No matter if we was losing or winning, I was going to go into the last, into the fourth quarter, that last whistle and I did that. So it fulfilled everything that I thought it was going to. What did it mean to help elevate this franchise to the point where you did get recognition and now this team is winning and competing to win division titles and go deep in the playoffs? That's what it's all about. Recognizing that we have talent. The city of Tennessee, Tennessee Titans, we are a great football team. When I first got here, when you lose games, you don't get recognized a lot. Even though we had the talent, guys like Gerald Casey and myself that was snout from Pro Bowls year after year because they, we wasn't recognized. And I remember sitting there and Gerald Casey can probably remember this as well. And I'm like, for us to be recognized, we just got to go out there and woo people. If we don't woo people, they're never going to recognize us. And then that momentum started to shift. We started winning. We started going to the playoffs and then we started getting recognized. Pro Bow after Pro Bow. And then the guys now, the team that we have now and what they're doing and how they're talked about, how they're getting all the big time games and Monday night games. That's where you get recognized at. When you hurt the ankle, did you know immediately like, hey, this is worse than just a regular injury or what point did you know this? This is really a problem. I realized it was bad when I didn't feel it. So I knew something was up. I couldn't feel no pain. And I don't know if John was out there, but with the guys that was out there, I didn't cry. I didn't make a face. I didn't do anything. I couldn't feel it. I literally didn't feel anything. It severed my nerves. And at that point, I kind of felt like it's going to be a tough one to come back from. But knowing me, I was that guy knowing that I wanted to come back early. I wanted to show the team that I worked my butt off to get back on this field. And, you know, it just didn't happen the way I wanted it to. I took an injury. I think I took a hit in week five against Chicago, and it just never came back to where I needed to be to be able to play. How long do you think you would have played if not for that injury? I feel like I still would have been playing right now if I didn't break my leg. And as far as when you first came in the league, who or maybe some of the guys you watched and learned from, and then as your career went on, you got here, were you aware that some of the younger guys coming in were watching you? So I'm going to start off by some of the guys I was watching was Larry Allen. When I came in to the 49th, I had Brian Young, Larry Allen, Jonas Jenning. I got to play with Isaac Bruce. I got to, you know, I saw true legends go to work and do it every day and do it with a smile on their face. And I got to see that. And I remember just watching them playing Madden, and then I got to step in their rooms and one thing I took from Brian Young is he came to me and was like, that cold tub should be your friend. If that cold tub ain't your friend, you won't last in this league long. And everyone who knows me, I'm in the cold tub 24-7. So I took advice from these older guys that played the game very well and very long. And I hope these guys that's coming into the league now, you know, recognize that from a guy like myself, or Jarell Casey or Brian Rekpo, who was in that locker room, that showed them how to play the game at a high level and take care of everybody at the same time. How long those lines, how proud are you to have somebody like John who was, you know, kind of like you with an OG to him and just passing the torch? It means a lot because, you know, John is one of the best at what he does. And you can see over the years on how this team has changed and what he's brought this team into and where he put us at. So it means a lot to hear that from John because he's one of the best to do this. And I just, to hear them kind of words him saying, him come to Central Missouri, small town, word, word, Missouri. You probably wouldn't, you know, I probably didn't even know that and to hear him say that story and it means a lot because I know what kind of guy John is and I know how hard he worked to be where he at today. What about younger guys like John Smith? Oh, John Smith, I thought you said all. Impact on a guy like John. Well, John knew, you know, I took John who under under my wing and because I seen something in them. I knew he was the type of player I was. He had that ability to be a breakout guy and be great in his league. And I just try to give him all my knowledge. Anyone who was ever in that tight end room, I never held back. I wasn't the veteran to be like, they brung him in to take my job. I looked at as they brung him in to make us better. And if I can help that to make him better, that's going to make overall make the team better. So I did everything in my power to make sure every guy that was in my room knew what I knew and had to try to give them the ability to do what I did. I just remember you, when I hear your name, I think of quadruple coverage in Indianapolis and Marcus dropping it in the buck. That's my lasting memory of you. What's your lasting memory? What's the play you remember? The play I remember. It was Kota had to probably be against the Patriots. I just remember coming in that week and, you know, they wasn't talking about us at all, you know, just grunk, grunk, grunk. And this is just me. You know, I ain't tell the team. I was like, I'm going to outplay grunk today. And that's all I talked about. And I remember we were down and they came to me like, we need to play. And then Zach Mittenberger was the quarterback at the time. He threw me like a five-yard pass and I think at that point I was just angry. I was running out of anger. And I ran over like two people, ran down the sideline, jumped over somebody, stiff-thorn somebody, and then ran into it for a touchdown. And I always remember that. That's one play I will never forget. I felt like that was probably one of my better plays in NFL. You've stayed through several different coaching changes. When that happened, how nerve-wracking is that for a guy like you? And did you go to new coaches and say, look, you just give me the ball, you'll be fine? Or how did you approach that? So I've been used to having different coaches. When I was in San Francisco, we wasn't good at first neither. So we started off with like three different coaches. So I had knew pretty much every offense that you can probably run in NFL. So when we was having coaches changes, every time a different offense came in, I knew it. It wasn't that give me the ball. I let the coaches say, we're going to rely on you. I never was the guy like, throw me the ball, throw me the ball. I need the ball. I just feel like that puts pressure on an offensive coordinator to make him try to draw a place for you. So I just let it come to me. I let them, I show them by doing. If I made plays on the field, I knew that they would come to me because they trusted me. So that was my mindset. What would people say to the people they see in the streets today, Titans fans? What do they say? You look like you can still play. You should sign up, call John. I'm like, it ain't that easy. They mostly, and then they just tell me, you know, I'm one of the greats. But most of them will be shocked because I literally sit there and talk to them and shake their hands, hang out with them, invite them on the boat. If they dirt bike, I'll go dirt bike with them. I feel like ever since I stopped playing, I'm more genuine out with the people because it's almost when you play football, you kind of hide away a little bit because you're doing a season you don't really want to be out there. But it's like when I stopped playing, it's like I got to see more love. I was out more and I got to see people actually know who I am. And sometimes I wear a hat, I wear a mask and they still recognize me. Like, you Delaney Walker, just the other day we was in Target and this guy came up to me like, Delaney. I'm like, how you know it's me? He said the hair. So I'm like, I get that all the time. It's the hair. Everyone recognized me through the hair. So it just shows me the love that I have out here in the city when I do step out. What do you think Delaney, your legacy is with this team in this town? My legacy, that's a good question. I don't know. I feel like my legacy here would probably be my grit if that would be it because I never held back. I think I was too honest at some times with the media and I know that's not good. But I think, I know y'all do. I don't know. That's a good one. I'm going to have to tweet that when I realize what it is. So you're going to have to do it off the field stuff as well, do you think? I think a lot of the stuff that I did off the field was just because you know how much I care for the city too. And I grew up in a single parent household so I had the means to try to get back and show kids that they can be whoever they want to be. You don't have to feel like you trapped in a box. So I try to do as much as I could to show that message. So that could be my legacy too. I mean I got Man of the Year award twice, I think, yeah twice. Is there a reason why you love Nashville? So obviously you talked about how good the playing time was here but why did you follow up with the city side? You know it's coming from California to Nashville. The people here were way more nicer. You know like you can go out and they won't bother you. They didn't care that I play football. They may take a picture but they're not coming up hounding you and then cussing you out when you be like I don't want to take a picture. You know it's that different feel but then just the love of the city. I would have to say in my neighborhood I've never been in a neighborhood where everyone waved. I remember when I first moved to my neighborhood they waved at me. They looked like, do y'all know them? Why are they waving at us? And it just shows the love that people have in the city with each other. And I think that's what grounded me here. And I just, like I said, I just love being in the city. It's a lot to do and I've been here so long I feel like this is just home for me. There's a lot of fans who would say your legacy is the best tie down your team's ever had. Oh, uh, I don't know. I Frank, why check, you know, I watch Frank and some of the stuff Frank did. We two different tight ends. You know, I can't say that I am the best because what Frank has done for this organization is great too. So I always put Frank in front of me. I will say I'm the second best. What do you think when you watch this current Titans team? And maybe the players are one of some of them used to be your teammates and how much are you a fan now? I'm probably the biggest fan. I can't go to the games because I'm so much of a fan. I don't want to offend nobody because I'm yelling worse than Rable. I promise you. So, you know, I watch every game. I can tell you how to every player. I just want to see them do good. It's tough being when playing for a team and not watching them win. It hurts. I feel the same way and every time they win, I feel like I was in that locker room. I'm jumping around screaming when they lose. I'm on the same way. I'm like, John, can we cut him? Can we bring him in? Let me get my stats right. So I just, you know, I try to watch as much football Titans football as possible because I want to, I want to feel like I'm there. When they do win a Super Bowl. What do you think of the next young athletic titan and chigacombo with some of the fights that you would give him? I think for where he at now, he's doing really well. Obviously, every player can get better and he will get better as time go. He will learn the game a lot more, understand the concepts of what the coaches want him to do. The last game they played, he had that touchdown. You know, one thing I'll tell you, your knee counts is two feet. You know, so sometimes, you know, little things like that, when they hear from another player, you know, then that kind of resonates in his mind. So I'm excited. Hopefully I can, when I come to the game, I may say a few things to him. I haven't talked to him this year, but I like what he's doing. I see him getting on the field more and that just shows that he's building his confidence. So I'm excited to see how far it goes. You played a long time. What do you miss the most about not being a part of the game anymore? I miss being in the locker room. That's one thing I miss. I don't miss getting hit. I don't miss practicing. I don't miss any of that. I actually miss being in that locker room with them guys. It's not like any other job to go in a locker room. You can joke, play, laugh, just to have that love with your brotherhoods. It was hard. That's the one thing that I miss the most and it's hard to swallow is just not being in that locker room with them guys.