Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard has been a hot topic of conversation all offseason long and there was at least a shred of uncertainty surrounding him after he rightly declined to take a pay cut earlier this year.
However, any fears about his future in Nashville for 2023 were fully put to bed recently when he renegotiated his contract, which in turn freed up cap space and helped the Titans add DeAndre Hopkins to the payroll.
After the first practice of training camp on Wednesday, Byard said “it’s all about winning ballgames” when asked about renegotiating his deal.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about winning ballgames,” Byard said, per John Glennon of Nashville Post. “You kind of understand it as you get older as a player, the business side of football and being able to build a championship roster. And that’s what it’s about here, it’s about winning ballgames…”
“At times, it’s time to be selfish, but at the end of the day, it’s about building a team and I’m a team leader, and I want to win, first and foremost,” he added. “I’ve said this multiple times: I want to help bring a championship to Nashville and that’s what we plan on doing this year.”
In regard to Hopkins, Byard called him an “elite player” and said “adding a guy like him is big time for us,” while also noting how he can help the younger players like Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips.
Byard on what Hopkins’ addition brings to team: pic.twitter.com/7sx8KQfhqj
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) July 26, 2023
