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Titans Activate Starting DT From Injured Reserve
Tennessee Titans defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat heads to the field before a game against the New York Jets at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With all eyes on Mike McCoy's first game as interim head coach for the Tennessee Titans , his defense got a much-needed boost. Jeffery Simmons can only do so much , but now he'll be joined by T'Vondre Sweat.

ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the news on October 18 that Sweat had been activated off injured reserve and is able to play against the New England Patriots. Seeing as the Titans' defense has been lackluster all season long, Sweat's return couldn't have come at a better time.

If there's anyone that could figure out how to exploit the Titans defense, it's ex-HC Mike Vrabel. Vrabel has guided the Patriots to a 4-2 start to the season, a vast difference from Tennessee's 1-5 campaign. The Titans, who won a game two weeks ago, are looking to win their first game at Nissan Stadium since they beat these Patriots last season.

November 3, 2024, marked the last time Titans fans saw their team win at home. Sweat had a pair of tackles in that game against New England, but his presence, even if limited, provides Tennessee with an extra spark.

One of the main things to keep an eye on is how long McCoy lets Sweat play. There's no doubt he'll be on a snap count, the question is, how at risk is he of re-injuring his ankle?

Titans.com's Jim Wyatt wrote, "Sweat suffered an ankle injury in the team's season opener at Denver, and he was among the team's inactives for the following week's game against the Rams. Sweat was poised to return to action the following week against the Colts, but re-injured the ankle in practice, and he was placed on Injured Reserve back on September 20."

For what it's worth, Sweat didn't miss a single game during his rookie season. The Titans' second-year nose tackle impressed, finishing his rookie year with 51 total tackles, 22 of those being solo.

In his one and only game this season, Sweat had two tackles, both of which were solo against the Denver Broncos. He hasn't been a full participant in a game since January 5, 2025, when he recorded five tackles and half a sack against the Houston Texans.

Earlier this week, Sweat was placed on the "Designated to Return to Practice list". He did just that, practicing all three days. With no setbacks, he's set to return to the field in front of the Titans faithful in a pivotal match against the team's former head coach.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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