The Tennessee Titans pulled commentator Jared Stillman’s media credential on Tuesday. The move came one day after Stillman said the team would never take that step.
What We Know: Stillman, who formerly worked for 102.5 The Game, is not a traditional beat reporter. According to accounts from Paul Kuharsky, Stillman shows up more often during OTAs and camp than in-season. Still, his press conference appearances remain periodic and has been granted a full credential for many years. Stillman had his credential pulled Tuesday, days after his questioning of quarterback Cam Ward went viral. Stillman asked Ward how he would assess his level of play this preseason, in turn Ward asked Stillman his assessment. Still responded with “not well” leading to Ward thanking him for his opinion, then answering the question. Stillman then discussed the possibility of losing his credential on his Monday program.
What They Said: Jared Stillman (via Stillman and Co with Jared Stillman – Monday): “The Titans would not revoke my credentials. If they did, that would be a story. Not just a story here in town. That would be a ProFootballTalk story. That would be an Awful Announcing story, and would probably make its way to the NFL network with people debating it and discussing it. It would make its way to Ocho Cinco and Shannon Sharpe. It would make them look like the softest organization in the NFL. That is not a headline they want to be dealing with… When it comes to the Titans and you say they’re gonna do something bad to you, I don’t think that’s coming down the pipe. Because I don’t think they’re that stupid.”
What Remains Unclear: The Titans have not commented on the matter. The organization has not provided clarity on reasoning for pulling Stillman’s credential.
What It Means: The move shows the Titans are willing to restrict access despite the backlash Stillman predicted. Consequently, it raises fresh questions about credentialing standards for non-traditional media sources. Furthermore, national outlets may still pick up the story, just as Stillman suggested they would. Ultimately, the fallout could shape how the Titans handle similar situations going forward.
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