Titans center Austin Schlottmann treats starting-job fight as a daily competition

Austin Schlottmann is in Nashville with a clear mindset as the Tennessee Titans move toward training camp. The center, who joined the team in March, is describing his focus in straightforward terms, assuming nothing about whether he will earn the starting job, even if a roster spot is eventually on the line for any player competing at his position.

Schlottmann’s perspective is rooted in experience. He said his career has involved repeating the same process year after year, going from practice squad to active roster, and competing again once teams bring in new players. In the Titans’ offseason interview, he linked his approach to doing the work necessary to be the best version of himself each day, rather than trying to predict where he will land.

That mindset is likely to matter in Tennessee because the center position is both technical and central to the rhythm of the offense. Schlottmann’s stated plan is to compete with the group around him when training camp begins at the end of the month, with the starter ultimately named heading into the season.

The 6-foot-6, 300-pound Schlottmann brings recent game participation to the competition. In 2025 with the New York Giants, he appeared in 17 games and made four starts. He logged action on 362 offensive snaps and 69 special teams snaps, giving Tennessee evidence of both snap count experience and willingness to contribute in multiple phases.

His NFL journey began differently than many starters. Schlottmann spent his early seasons working his way up after entering the league as an undrafted free agent. He went to Denver in 2018 as a “super longshot” to make the roster, stayed on the practice squad, and then continued to compete for a spot from there. Over seven NFL seasons, he has played in 85 games and recorded 18 starts.

There is also a coaching connection shaping the setting for this competition. Schlottmann followed new Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll from the Giants, where the two spent two seasons together. He was also previously coached by Carmen Bricillo, now the Titans’ offensive line coach, a familiarity that can help shorten the learning curve as camp accelerates.

For the Titans, the practical question is not just who can play center, but who can stabilize the operation across the full workload of training camp and the season opener. Schlottmann has positioned himself as a competitor who wants to take control of what he can, by putting himself in the best position to win the job through daily improvement and reps.

What to watch next is simple: how the center competition is structured in early camp, how frequently Schlottmann takes reps with the first groups, and whether Tennessee’s coaching staff emphasizes continuity with Daboll’s preferences and Bricillo’s instruction as camp turns into a decision point for the starter.