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The Tennessee Titans approached Kevin Byard about taking a pay cut and the Pro Bowl safety shut it down, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports per sources. Byard has expressed interest in retiring with the Titans, but is now at a critical point in determining his future in Tennessee.
Kevin Byard believes his play does not warrant a pay cut and he has a point. He is coming off of his fifth season out of the last six where he finished with at least four interceptions. Simply put, Byard has been a ball-hawk ever since entering the league.
In just his second campaign, Byard led the NFL in takeaways in 2017 with eight interceptions and two fumble recoveries for ten total. He was First-Team All-Pro in 2017 and selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time.
Since his breakout year in 2017, Byard has continued to build on an All-Pro resume. In 2021, Byard was named a First-Team All-Pro for the second time and was announced as a starter for his second career Pro Bowl. Consequently, a major factor in Byard's ability to consistently put up elite production like this is his durability.
When the 2021 season came to a close, Byard was working on a streak of 88 consecutive starts. This led all Titans' players, was the highest streak among all NFL defenders, and was the sixth-highest streak among all NFL players. He is clearly a leader on the field for the Titans, irregardless of the fact he is also a leader in the Tennessee community.
The Byard Family Legacy Fund, that Byard runs with his wife Clarke, provides resources to the Nashville area like back-to-school programs, holiday dinners, and football camps. Both on and off the field, Kevin Byard does what he can for Tennessee, but it remains to be seen if he will still wear the Titans blue this fall.
