When training camp began, the Tennessee Titans brought in kicker Joshua Karty for a workout and potentially sent former Virginia Tech kicker Joey Slye a message: your job might not be as safe as he thought.
In typical Slye fashion, he quickly put to rest any competition that there might be in camp for his job with an eye-opening first preseason game for the Titans in Northern California against the San Francisco 49ers.
Former Virginia Tech kicker sends message about job security in first preseason game
Tennessee opened the preseason schedule with a 19-13 win over the 49ers. A big reason they were able to pull out the win was because of Slye. He showcased his big leg that keeps him employed in the NFL year after year. Slye hit his only extra point in the first quarter after a Tony Pollard five-yard run before he drilled four field goals from 39, 55, 53, and 58 yards. The 55- and 58-yarders were right down the middle and would have been good from further out,
Kicking at Levi's Stadium is nothing new to Slye. In September of 2024, with the New England Patriots, Slye nailed a franchise-record 63-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to cut a 20-0 New England deficit to 20-3 at halftime. He made the kick with ease. That ended up being his only season in Foxborough, as he was not brought back in 2025, but he did come up with some rather big kicks that season for a Patriots team that won just four games and finished in the basement of the AFC East.
In the overall big picture, there was little doubt as to whether or not Slye was going to win the job in Nashville this summer. Last season for Tennessee, Slye was 28-for-35 in 16 games with a long of 58 yards. He was 9-for-14 from beyond 50 yards and 7-for-9 between 40 and 49 yards.
His 63-yarder against the 49ers two years ago remains his career-long record, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him come close to setting a new one in 2026.
Tennessee will host the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks this upcoming weekend in their second preseason game.
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