If there’s one person who bleeds Titans blue in Nashville, it’s Jelly Roll. The genre-bending superstar pulled up to Titans training camp this week and delivered a powerful speech to the team as they prepared to head out on a 10-day road swing through Tampa Bay and Atlanta, USA today reports.
Jelly Roll (@JellyRoll615) motivational speech before we hit the road for two weeks. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/qOcDtx26ag
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) August 7, 2025
The Titans will spend nine nights on the road, facing joint practices and preseason games against both teams. After a brutal 3-14 campaign last season, the message came at the right time. Jelly Roll spoke not just as a fan, but as someone who knows what it takes to turn things around. He went from addiction and incarceration to being one of the biggest names in music, and now he’s using his story to inspire others—whether it's speaking to Congress about fentanyl or encouraging players chasing greatness.
“We thought we were gonna connect in the 60-90 minutes,” he told the team, referencing his early years performing with his crew. “And then we learned, it was in the 23 hours we wasn’t on the stage that we were building our connection.”
That message hit home for a team that’s rebuilding. With No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward under center, a new head coach in Brian Callahan, and young leaders like J.C. Latham and Jeffery Simmons already setting the tone, the Titans have a fresh identity. Jelly Roll recognized it right away.
“I started going, there's a culture being built here,” he said. “Double down on that culture these next 10 days. Y'all are stuck with each other.”
A moment for the city and the team
Jelly Roll’s love for Nashville runs deep. He reminded the players how the Titans’ arrival gave the city a new sense of pride. “When I grew up here, it was like 300,000 people in this town. Now, it’s like 2.3 million. The biggest acquisition we ever made as a city was the Tennessee Titans.”
He tied that community pride to personal growth, explaining how his off-stage habits shaped his career. “I started becoming a better songwriter when I started becoming a better husband. I started becoming a better performer when I started becoming a better human.”
As the team prepares for a long stretch away from home, Jelly Roll left them with one final challenge: “Take this road as a moment to get together. Take this road as a chance to build something. Every time y’all get on that road, bring it home.”
