Last Season's Special Teams Ace Returns

The Tennessee Titans have brought back one of last season’s top special teams performers.

Nick Dzubnar, who led the Titans with 13 special teams tackles in 2020, was re-signed Monday in time to take part in the day’s workout, which was at Nissan Stadium.

The deal came a day after his 30th birthday but also one day before NFL rosters must be reduced from a maximum of 90 players to 85. His addition gives the Titans 87 players on their active roster.

Dzubnar signed with Tennessee last season after five seasons as a special teams standout with the Chargers. He did the job for which he was signed – and then some. He was credited with a start at outside linebacker in the playoff game against Baltimore and registered one tackle on defense, which matched the number of tackles he made for the defense during the regular season.

During the regular season, Dzubnar played a career-high 364 special teams snaps, which was 82 percent of the Titans’ total. He made at least one special teams tackle in 10 of the 16 regular-season games, including three in the Week 5 victory over Buffalo, and extended his streak of consecutive games played to 60. He has not missed a game since Week 5 of the 2017 season.

No one else on the team finished with more than eight special teams stops in 2020.

Dzubnar became a free agent in March, and it appeared the Titans moved on when they signed proven special teams players such as linebacker Ola Adeniyi (from Pittsburgh), Mattias Farley (N.Y. Jets) and linebacker Justin March-Lillard (Dallas).

They also have wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who played an important role in the kicking game as an undrafted rookie last season, and drafted another wide receiver, Racey McMath, with the idea that he could become a stalwart on special teams as well.

Now, Dzubnar is back and has a chance to reclaim his role.