Titans give surprising update on punter Ryan Stonehouse before training camp

NASHVILLE - According to Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan in Tuesday's press conference, third-year punter Ryan Stonehouse is 'ready to roll' for training camp after ending the 2023 season with a serious injury.

Stonehouse underwent season-ending surgery on his plant leg after suffering a series of severe injuries in Week 13 against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium. Stonehouse tore his left ACL, left MCL, and broke a bone in his left leg all on one play.

The assumption throughout the offseason was that Stonehouse would not be healthy for the beginning of the regular season. Ty Zentner, who punted in five games for Tennessee last season, is still with the team and was the assumed Week 1 starter.

But that was just the assumption. As Callahan shared with the media in his press conference to open training camp on Tuesday, WR Colton Dowell and OT Nicholas Petit-Frere are the only Titans player with injury designations to begin camp. Stonehouse was not given a designation and is ready to roll.

"Other than [Dowell and Petit-Frere], everyone else is cleared and healthy and ready to roll. We're in a pretty good place health wise," said Callahan.

Stonehouse has taken the NFL by storm ever since he was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State in 2022.

First, he beat out Brett Kern for the Titans' starting job as a rookie. Then he set the NFL all-time record for net punting average at 53.1 yards per punt. Then Stonehouse somehow tied his own record in 2023 before having his season end prematurely.

Anybody who says punters can't be a weapon for a football team have never watched Ryan Stonehouse kick. It's a surprising and refreshing update to hear that he'll be back on the field sooner than expected.

Related: Five undrafted rookies who could make the Tennessee Titans roster in training camp