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Titans Reporter Explains Why Team Released All-Pro Player

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Levi Dombro | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 5:39 PM ET

The Tennessee Titans have made massive changes this offseason to get rid of the stink from last year's three-win team. New general manager Mike Borgonzi has been hard at work repairing the roster, and head coach Brian Callahan has adjusted the staff.

One of the major staff changes was the addition of special teams coordinator John Fassel, a legendary coach who spent the last five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.

Fans were excited about pairing up 2022 All-Pro punter Ryan Stonehouse with this experienced coach. Instead, the Titans chose not to re-sign him, and Stonehouse signed with the Miami Dolphins this offseason.

This decision caught a lot of Titans fans by surprise. AtoZ Sports reporter Easton Freeze recently provided context on how things went down between Tennessee and Stonehouse.

"I don’t think it was a [John] Fassel decision so much as it was a general philosophical shift by the coaching staff," Freeze wrote. "They really want to emphasize hang time and directional punting over pure distance, and there were some frustrations at times last year with Stoney being a power/distance guy. They just didn’t see it as a good fit any longer."

Tennessee certainly had several areas of the game to improve upon this offseason, and the minute details of the kicking game are often lost on most when discussing upgrades.

Stonehouse also saw a decrease in his yards per punt last season, and had two kicks blocked during the 2024 campaign.

The Titans replaced Stonehouse with Johnny Hekker, a 13-year veteran who has played with both the Rams and Panthers. Hekker is far removed from his days as a four-time All-Pro, but he should be able to get the job done in Tennessee this season.

Fans may have a hard time adjusting to life without Stonehouse, but at least they have clarity on why things went down the way that they did.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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