The Tennessee Titans Caravan stopped in Clarksville, TN yesterday at the Shoe Carnival on Wilma Rudolph Blvd. Each day a different player headlines the Titans Caravan, on this day it was #71 Michael Roos, one of the NFL’s top linemen and a building block of the Titans’ future. He was joined by Titans mascot T-Rac, the “Voice of the Titans” Mike Keith, Titans Radio Gameday Host Larry Stone and other Titans staff members.
The vast majority of Caravan visits are presented by one of the nearly 70 affiliates of the Titans Radio Network, the exclusive radio home of the Titans, in this case it was local Radio Station WJZM, which was represented by its owner Hank Bonecutter and other station staff.
Titans Caravan XIII, is a regional series of school visits and free, public autograph signings held in partnership with Titans Radio affiliates across the Mid-South, a total of 42 Caravan stops are planned in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama over a span of nearly two weeks, concluding just hours before the start of the 2010 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 22.
“It’s hard to believe this is our 13th Titans Caravan,” said Titans Senior Executive Vice President Steve Underwood. “We’ve committed to it every year because there’s no better way to experience the special bond that exists between this team and its fans. The Caravan allows us an opportunity to thank our supporters face to face over a large geographical area and also to touch a new generation of fans in the schools we visit.”
Public Caravan stops give all fans the chance to collect autographs and take pictures with the Titans. There is no charge to attend any of the 22 Titans Caravan XIII public events, and each stop lasts approximately one hour.
According to Keith, however, Titans Caravan stops are not limited to just autographs and photos. Fans get a chance to catch up on the team’s progress as the Titans move towards 2010.
“As you would expect, we talk a lot of football on Titans Caravan—the draft, free agency, minicamps, the schedule release.” Keith said. “It’s great for our players to get our fans’ thoughts on the upcoming season, to see their passion and hear their knowledge of the NFL. On Titans Caravan, our players quickly come to understand that football in this part of the country is very serious business!”
Titans Caravan XIII will end with the organization’s annual visit with soldiers and family members of the 101st Airborne Division and the 160th SOAR(A) of the US Army at Fort Campbell, Ky. Multiple players, T-Rac and staff members will be part of five stops at the base on Thursday, April 22nd. Also, it will be the only stop on the Caravan to feature the Titans Cheerleaders. Later that evening, Titans decision-makers will gather at the club’s home facility in Nashville for the first round of the NFL Draft.
Over the last 12 years, Titans Caravan has made over 600 stops and allowed the team to interact directly with an estimated audience well in excess of 100,000 fans. Since its beginning in 1998 as a small effort to spread goodwill through the region, the Caravan has evolved to include six full-time staffers that travel with Titans players, broadcasters and T-Rac throughout the Mid-South on a specially-decorated motor coach from Premiere Transportation.
About Michael Roos
Although he only began playing on the offensive line as a sophomore in college, Michael Roos is one of the NFL’s top linemen, and a building block of the Titans’ Future. Roos’ size (6’7″ 315 pounds), athleticism, and intelligence have made him one of the premier young left tackles in the NFL. He has started in every game in his first five seasons, 15 Games at right tackle and 65 contests at left tackle.
Career Highlights
- Only one other player from the 2005 NFL Draft (Logan Mankins) has started all 80 regular seasons games since being drafted.
- In 2009, was a member of an offensive line that blocked for the NFL’s second-best rushing attack (162.0 yards per game) and opened holes for Chris Johnson who became just the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards. Also, part of an offensive front that allowed just 16 sacks, the second fewest in the NFL.
- In 2008, the Eastern Washington product was selected to his first career Pro Bowl and was named first-team Associated Press All-Pro after helping the offensive line allow an NFL-low 12 sacks.
- Roos began playing football as a high school senior and did not play on the offensive line until his sophomore year in college. He gained notoriety among NFL scouts with his impressive showing at the 2005 Senior Bowl, dominating Division I-A players at both left and right tackle spots. At the NFL Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 5.3 seconds, bench pressed 225 pounds 19 times and displayed a 29-inch vertical leap.
- A Native of Estonia, Roos was selected by the Titans in the second round (41st overall) of the 2005 NFL draft.
Photo Gallery
