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Titans’ interception drought puts spotlight on Amani Hooker as Tennessee rebuilds its secondary for 2026
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Sports/The Apex Times/Jul 3, 7:56 AM EDT

Titans’ interception drought puts spotlight on Amani Hooker as Tennessee rebuilds its secondary for 2026

After finishing 2025 with six interceptions, tied for the second-fewest total in the NFL, Tennessee is searching for a new defensive playmaker. The turnover conversation has centered on whether veteran safety Amani Hooker can bounce back in a reworked secondary.

By The Apex Times Newsroom3 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Tennessee Titans finished the 2025 season with just six interceptions, a total that tied for the second-lowest in the league with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. Only the New York Jets produced fewer interceptions, with a historic zero. For a team that prides itself on forcing mistakes, the low takeaways have become the clearest reason the Titans have emphasized change in the secondary heading into 2026.

Cody Barton led Tennessee’s defense with three interceptions, a noteworthy number considering how uneven the Titans were at converting coverage and pressure into turnovers. But the rest of the list also underscored the problem. Xavier Woods and Roger McCreary combined for the other two interceptions, and both players are no longer with the Titans, according to Yahoo Sports’ review of Tennessee’s defensive turnover picture.

The offseason and personnel approach reflected the same conclusion: if the team wants more interceptions, it likely needs both better structure and more experienced ball-hawking around the ball. Yahoo Sports reports that Tennessee made sweeping changes in the secondary, including Woods’ release and Kevin Winston Jr.’s promotion to a starting role at safety. At cornerback, Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott were brought in as the boundary starters, while Marcus Harris is expected to play the nickel. Yahoo Sports also lists additions such as Tony Adams and Joshua Williams as part of the new-look defensive back group.

Against that backdrop, the most discussed candidate to lead the Titans in interceptions in 2026 is Amani Hooker. Yahoo Sports writes that Hooker is the most likely player on the roster to pace Tennessee in picks, in part because he has the experience to play through receiver-heavy game plans. The reasoning becomes clearer when looking at his recent numbers: Hooker recorded zero interceptions in 2025 after posting a career-high five in 2024. In seven NFL seasons, he has 12 career interceptions, which gives the Titans a benchmark for how high his ceiling can be.

The key question is why Hooker’s 2025 production fell off so sharply. Yahoo Sports attributes the drop largely to the environment around him. Hooker, the report notes, expected help from other defensive backs, including Jarvis Brownlee, L’Jarius Sneed, and McCreary. By midseason, two of those players had been traded, while McCreary was again on injured reserve. The result, in Yahoo Sports’ framing, was less stability and fewer reliable pieces for Hooker to work with week to week, which can matter when quarterbacks test timing and spacing against safeties.

For 2026, the Titans are betting that the new stability and roster reliability will let Hooker play closer to the role that previously supported his interception totals. Yahoo Sports also reports that Tennessee is excited about pairing Hooker with Winston at safety, a matchup-oriented change intended to support coverage cohesion. Whether that translates into a new team-leading interception total will be something to watch early in the season, especially as quarterbacks adjust to Tennessee’s coverage calls and the personnel combinations behind them.

Why It Matters

  • In an NFL defense, interceptions often serve as a proxy for both coverage quality and risk-taking by opponents. Tennessee’s low total suggests the team needs upgrades to win those opportunities.
  • If Hooker becomes the Titans’ interception leader, it would indicate the new secondary is translating adjustments into game-changing plays rather than just better personnel on paper.
  • The competition for turnovers can shape how quarterbacks attack Tennessee’s coverage shells, which can also affect downfield targets and third-down playcalling.
  • Tennessee’s turnover efficiency could influence how long the defense stays on the field, which can indirectly affect the offense by changing game pace and possession structure.

Sources

Key Facts

  • The Titans recorded six interceptions in 2025, tied for second-lowest in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.
  • Only the New York Jets had fewer interceptions than Tennessee, with zero picks in 2025.
  • Cody Barton led the Titans’ defense with three interceptions in 2025.
  • Xavier Woods and Roger McCreary each recorded interceptions for Tennessee in 2025, but they are no longer on the roster.
  • Tennessee made sweeping changes in the secondary for 2026, including Woods’ release and Kevin Winston Jr.’s promotion to starter.
  • Amani Hooker posted zero interceptions in 2025 after a five-interception, career-high in 2024, and the report points to instability around him as a factor.