Following the 3-14 season, the Tennessee Titans are aggressively reshaping their roster this offseason in hopes of reaching the playoffs. Earlier in March, the Titans, under head coach Robert Saleh, added former Buffalo Bills quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to their roster. And now, a month later, they are making a significant addition to their QB room once again.

“Source: The #Titans are signing QB Hendon Hooker, as the former University of Tennessee standout returns to the state,” reported Jordan Schultz on X.

Hendon Hooker played as quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers during the 2021 and 2022 seasons and added more than 7,000 passing yards with 58 touchdown passes combined. Hooker was a dual-threat quarterback and recorded 10 rushing touchdowns as well.

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In the 2022 season, Hooker became the first player from Tennessee to finish in the top five of Heisman Trophy voting since Peyton Manning finished runner-up in 1997. The dual-threat QB was named First-Team All-SEC and also earned SEC Offensive Player of the Year. He also led the NCAA in passing yards per attempt and adjusted passing yards per attempt.

That season, the Volunteers won 11 games, with Hooker starting nine of them. It was the most wins for the program since 2001 and tied for the second-most in school history.

The following year, in 2023, he was picked 68th overall in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. But his career stalled after an ACL injury sidelined him in his rookie season. Hooker made his NFL debut in 2024 in a week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys when he stepped in as a replacement for Jared Goff.

In August 2025, Hooker was waived by the Lions, after which the Carolina Panthers signed him to their practice squad. Hooker split his 2025 season between Carolina and the New York Jets.

Now, he is back in Tennessee again. In three seasons, Hooker has played in three games and completed 6-of-9 passes for 62 yards. The Titans signed him as the QB3, behind Cam Ward and Mitchell Trubisky, who also signed a two-year, $10.5 million contract with the Titans, including $6.825 million in guaranteed money.

With Cam Ward injured, Trubisky is believed to lead the offense in his absence. But if Trubisky suffers an injury, the franchise can use Hooker. As for Cam Ward, the head coach recently shared an update on his QB1 at the NFL Annual Meeting.

Cam Ward is progressing really well in Nashville

During an interaction with the media at the annual coaches breakfast, Saleh talked about Cam Ward’s right AC joint sprain while diving for a touchdown during Week 18 against the Jaguars in the 2025 season. The QB avoided getting surgery and is currently in rehab in Nashville. While the NFL rules prohibit the HC and the coaching staff from working with their franchise QB, the team is still keeping tabs.

“We’re still allowed updates, and all that stuff,” said Robert Saleh while sharing updates on the QB1. “That’s part of making sure he is progressing the right way, and he’s in there working with the trainers and working with the weight room, all that stuff is completely legal. We’re up to date. I’m not going to put a timetable on anything, but he’s progressing really well.”

The Titans drafted him last year as the first overall pick. Ward finished the regular season with 3,169 passing yards and 15 touchdowns with a 59.6% pass completion rate. The QB also threw seven interceptions and had a QBR of 33.2. Although the Titans were not in their best shape last season, Ward still performed under pressure. With the new season approaching, the new HC has high expectations of the young quarterback.

In addition to rehab, Cam Ward is also working closely with a private coach from his town and is eagerly working on improving his footwork during the offseason.

However, Cam’s injury also remains a concern for the team. To make sure they don’t have any quarterback-related issues, the front office is making these additions. The move solidifies the quarterback room, but puts pressure on Ward to return to form quickly.