Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel updates on QB Ryan Tannehill's injury status
Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is back in the same position he's been for months.
Tannehill aggravated the ankle injury that has been plaguing him since October in Sunday's 17-14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The veteran quarterback left the game on a cart in the first quarter but missed only one drive before returning with a taped-up ankle and playing for the rest of the game. He threw for 165 yards and sneaked in for a 1-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter but wasn't ultimately able to lead the Titans to victory.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Monday that Tannehill is going to try to play through the pain again Saturday when the Titans (7-7) host the Houston Texans (1-12-1).
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"He'll work extremely hard to get back and find a way to make the game," Vrabel said. "He always has. I'm never gonna question his toughness or his willingness to get back and help us win."
Tannehill missed games on Oct. 30 and Nov. 6 because of the ankle injury. He's been on and off the injury report since. Tannehill said in the past he makes his decision about whether he can play based on if he's mobile enough to protect himself from hits and help the team by moving within the pocket. He says the injury doesn't inhibit much about the way he plays but it causes enough pain that he has to make decisions about whether he can tolerate and play through it.
Rookie Malik Willis started the two games Tannehill missed and played one drive against the Chargers while Tannehill was in the locker room. Vrabel said he has been impressed by the way Willis has developed in his ability to command the huddle and make easier progressions through his reads. In Vrabel's eyes, Willis looked more comfortable in his limited reps Sunday than he did in his past exposure.
That said, if Tannehill can play, he will.
"If Ryan's healthy, if Ryan can play, Ryan will be our quarterback," Vrabel said.
Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel updates on QB Ryan Tannehill injury
