Treylon Burks‘ NFL career hasn’t gone as planned. The former first-round pick’s latest challenge is coming back from a torn ACL he suffered in practice last October, but he still believes he can make an impact with the Tennessee Titans.
Before Burks even stepped onto an NFL field, he was already behind the eight ball. The draft pick the Titans used to select Burks in the 2022 draft, No. 18 overall, was the one they received from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for A.J. Brown.
Fair or not, Burks was always going to be compared to Brown. Through his first three years in Nashville, Burks’ production has gone down each season.
Now, coming off an ACL tear with more competition in the receiver room, there is some question about whether Burks will even make the final roster. The fourth-year receiver said his focus isn’t on proving the doubters wrong. Instead, he wants to validate the confidence he has in himself.
“I am not going out to prove nobody wrong, I am going out to prove myself right,” Burks said, per the Titans’ website. “I tore my ACL (last October) and I am running. I am running routes, doing everything within those seven months, and it’s like, ‘Wow.’ And it’s nobody but God who made it happen. That’s who I play for and that’s who I lean on.
“I am not worried about whoever is in the room or whoever we’ve got. We’re a team and we’re going to go out and play ball.”
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Last year, Burks was already struggling when he suffered a torn ACL during a special teams drill in practice.
“A freak accident,” Burks said. “It happens all the time across the league, different sports. You look at Jayson Tatum (of the Celtics), he tore his Achilles in a freak, non-contact play. It’s part of the game, sports.”
In the immediate aftermath, Burks admitted the injury really tested his “love” for football. Ultimately, after watching from the sideline for an extended period, Burks has a renewed excitement for the game.
“Every day that I am here at this facility, and every day that I am working, I don’t take it for granted,” Burks said. “It means a lot more to me now. I’m not saying it didn’t mean a lot before, but it definitely means more now.”
As a rookie, Burks missed four games with turf toe and two with a concussion, which he suffered when hauling in his first career touchdown catch. In 2023, Burks again missed six games, this time with a knee injury and another concussion.
In 27 games, Burks has caught 53 passes for 699 yards and one touchdown.
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Author: Austin Nivison
June 20, 2025 | 6:05 pm
