Tyjae Spears

Tyjae Spears was born June 30, 2001, in Marrero, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. His upbringing was shaped by the rich Louisiana football culture, and his family's support sustained him through a challenging college career that included multiple significant injuries before his breakout collegiate years.

Spears attended Ponchatoula High School in Louisiana, where he was a productive running back. He signed with Tulane and overcame two torn ACLs in his early college years to eventually emerge as one of the most productive running backs in American Athletic Conference history. His 2022 Tulane campaign included a spectacular 205-yard, four-touchdown performance against USC in the Cotton Bowl — a breakout moment that elevated his NFL Draft stock.

The Tennessee Titans selected Spears in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, pick 81 overall. He has spent his entire career with the Titans, developing into a complementary back alongside Derrick Henry and later becoming a featured back in the post-Henry Titans rebuild.

Spears's combination of contact balance, receiving ability, and breakaway speed has made him one of the more dynamic young backs in the AFC South. His receiving production in particular has placed him among the better dual-threat backs of his draft class.

His career résumé includes multiple productive NFL seasons following his college breakout and injury recovery journey. His resilience through two torn ACLs in college and his subsequent NFL development have made him one of the more inspirational stories among modern running backs.

Off the field, Spears has maintained close ties to his Louisiana roots and has been active with youth football initiatives in both his native Marrero community and in the Nashville area. He has supported injury recovery awareness programs given his own history. He maintains endorsement partnerships with Nike and other brands. His distinctive path — from double-ACL tear to Cotton Bowl star to NFL starter — has made him one of the more compelling stories at his position.