Ryan Tannehill’s Malik Willis comments spark mentorship debate from Kurt Warner, NFL world: ‘I will never understand’
Ryan Tannehill had a lot to get off his chest on Tuesday.
Speaking with reporters, the Titans quarterback was candid. He detailed his ordeal with mental health struggles following a difficult display in Tennessee’s first-round loss to Cincinnati.
Media also queried Tannehill on his thoughts on newcomer Malik Willis. The former Liberty quarterback appeared slated to go in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but dropped all the way to the third round before the Titans snagged him.
Despite his draft slide, Willis possesses a whole lot of arm talent. In fact, many see Willis as the heir apparent under center for the Titans, poised to replace Tannehill as the team’s starter in due time.
With that in mind, one would think a veteran QB in Tannehill might consider taking the rookie under his wing and teach him the ropes.
Tannehill, the 2019 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, didn’t quite see it like that, though. The 33-year old batted away suggestions that he is required to mentor the young Willis.
“I don’t think it’s my job to mentor him,” Tannehill said. “But if he learns from me on the way, then that’s a great thing.”
“I don’t think it’s my job to mentor him.”
Ryan Tannehill on mentoring Malik Willis 😳 @brgridiron
(via @PaulKuharskyNFL)pic.twitter.com/uyAFhtmoDs
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 3, 2022
Ryan Tannehill’s stance on mentoring Malik Willis sparks debate
Tannehill’s comments set off a wave of discussion among those involved in the game. Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner was among the most vocal, taking to Twitter to question why older players wouldn’t offer advice and mentorship to younger teammates who play in the same position. Warner also offered his services as a guide for young quarterbacks trying to make the grade at the next level.
I will never understand the “I’m not here to mentor the next guy” mentality… so for all you young QBs that need a mentor, DM me & Ill be that guy, happy to help in any way I can!
— Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) May 3, 2022
Warner’s position makes sense, especially when considering his background. Before he was a two-time MVP starring for the “Greatest Show on Turf” of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Warner was an undrafted free agent. He struggled to cling on to an NFL roster, plying his trade for the Arena Football League’s Iowa Barnstormers and NFL Europe’s Amsterdam Admirals. Then he joined the Rams, Trent Green got injured and the rest, as they say, is history. (They even made a terrible movie about it!)
Tannehill’s journey to the league wasn’t easy, but didn’t quite require all the travel miles Warner’s did. Tannehill was a star quarterback at Texas A&M who caught lightning in a bottle under center in his final two college seasons. He was named starter partway through his junior year, retained his role during his senior season and racked up 3,744 yards and 29 touchdowns. Catapulted by his senior success, Tannehill was taken No. 8 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft.
MORE: Why did Malik Willis fall in 2022 NFL Draft?
Now, Tannehill’s career trajectory hasn’t always been the smoothest, but he came into the league as a starter. Warner didn’t. Willis, despite his high ceiling, likely won’t, either. For unheralded players hoping to make their mark in the league, a mentor can be the difference between staying on a roster and being cut loose.
Some other former NFL players shared Warner’s sentiments. Former safety-turned-analyst Ryan Clark said a player’s willingness to be a mentor is linked to their perception as a leader, a sought-after trait for quarterbacks across the league.
I see Ryan Tannehill is on his “Not my job to mentor” energy. It’s not, but man it makes you a good teammate. You can win without your QB being a good teammate but better for the team if he is. What a leader! Guess the Steelers’ DBs had it all wrong taking time w/ rookies & 💩
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) May 3, 2022
Longtime guard Geoff Schwartz agreed, saying he thrived under his veterans’ tutelage as a young player and felt empowered to pay it forward as he got older.
Appreciate the honesty. Tannehill’s job is winning games but it’s nice when veterans go out of their way to mentor young guys. I had mentors as a young player and felt I needed to do the same when I was an older guy https://t.co/uA4jZcH6a8
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) May 3, 2022
Some, though, disagreed with Warner’s take. Former Colts cornerback Darius Butler argued that Tannehill’s statement was “100 percent right.”
This what yall fake mad about today? 😂
Tannehill is 100% right here. He has ONE job. Be the starting QB for the Titans. If he chooses to mentor Malik Willis along the way that’s good on him; but by no means an obligation. 🤷🏿♂️ https://t.co/4vPMqxJTsI
— Darius Butler (@DariusJButler) May 3, 2022
Tannehill’s stance is a far cry from that of quarterback Marcus Mariota, who now with the Falcons and finds himself in a similar position as a veteran on a team that drafted a QB last week.
“I’ve been in this situation before,” Mariota said prior to the NFL Draft. “It’s a ‘control what I can control,’ mindset. I have no ego. I can be an ear and listen. Teams are going to do what they’re going to do. If they do draft someone, I’ll give as much advice and knowledge as I can. If not, I’m ready to roll.”
Mariota, the former No. 2 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, was replaced as QB1 by Tannehill in 2019. Still, he remained a good teammate, always ready and willing to contribute.
MORE: Why the Falcons signed Marcus Mariota to start a new era
Regardless of your view on Tannehill and his willingness to mentor, his comments reflect the dichotomy of the NFL. On one hand, teams are desperate to develop camaraderie and togetherness throughout their rosters, hoping that chemistry can add that extra something to push a team over the top.
Yet, there’s a reason why the league has another nickname, one coined by the oracle of sporting idioms Jerry Glanville: “Not For Long.” The average football player spends just 3.3 years in the NFL, a desperately short timeframe compared to that of the other major American sports. Offering tips of the trade for someone who ostensibly wants your gig just as much as you do is difficult, no matter how much we want to act like it’s not.