Hendon Hooker got his first preseason work for the Titans on Thursday, and the former Vol left Levi's Stadium with a line that told both sides of the story. He completed 2 of 3 passes for 17 yards in Tennessee’s 19-13 win over San Francisco, but he also lost two fumbles on three rushing attempts.
That is why Hooker’s name matters now. Tennessee opened its NFL preseason schedule in Santa Clara, California, with 68,418 watching the first Week 1 contest, and the quarterback rotation gave the Titans an early look at how their room is sorting itself out. Cam Ward started and went 5 of 12 for 57 yards, Will Levis finished 3 of 8 for 42 yards, and Mitchell Trubisky hit 2 of 3 for 23 yards, making Hooker one part of a crowded first test.
Hooker did not take a sack, and the clean passing line was enough to show he can move the offense in small samples. But the two fumbles matter more than the 17 passing yards because preseason snaps are often judged on whether a quarterback protects the ball when the play breaks down. He finished with minus-2 rushing yards, which adds to the sense that the debut was useful without being tidy.
Tennessee’s scoring came from Tony Pollard, who ran in the lone touchdown from five yards out in the first quarter and finished with 22 rushing yards on four carries. Joey Slye handled the rest, going 4 of 4 on field goals and 1 of 1 on extra points, which helped the Titans leave the opener with a win even while the quarterback rotation stayed unsettled.
What remains unanswered is where Hooker sits in the Titans depth chart after this showing. Thursday gave Tennessee a first look at him in live preseason action, but it did not settle the order behind the starter. That makes the next snap that matters the one after this debut, not the final score.
