NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WGEM) - One of the perks of being a professional athlete in Nashville is the opportunity to encounter some of the world’s leading entertainers and musicians.
Andrew Rupcich, the former Culver-Stockton College All-American tackle now in his third year with the Tennessee Titans, and his teammates got a surprise last Wednesday when one of music’s biggest names spoke to the team before they embarked on a 10-day road trip.
Jelly Roll, a Nashville native who bills himself as the Titans No. 1 fan, addressed the team after head coach Brian Callahan invited the chart-topping singer to speak to the players at their training camp before they embarked on a 10-game road trip which included pre-season games at Tampa Bay (a 29-7 loss Saturday) and Atlanta this Friday.
“Jelly Roll has came in the past, so I’ve met him before, but it’s still always cool to see a guy of his status come in and speak to the team,” said Rupcich, whose listed as a backup right guard on the Tennessee depth chart.
Despite coming off a 3-14 season, Jelly Roll is excited about what’s ahead, especially with the addition of No. 1 overall pick in quarterback Cam Ward.
“There’s a culture being built here. I feel it … I believe in y’all man,” Jelly Roll told the team. “Take this road trip as a chance to get together … I love y’all. I’ll be here this season as much as I can, you know I’m travelling the world, but I am Titan’d up every single day.”
The 6-foot-6, 318-pound Rupcich has played in 12 games for the Titans over the past two seasons, including two starts at right guard in 2023.
Rupcich played in seven games for the Titans in 2024, logging 16 total offensive snaps. But he was placed on injured reserve in November, which forced him to miss the final 10 games of the season because of a torn triceps suffered against Detroit.
Rupcich said the megastar singer spends a lot of time around the team.
“Yeah, I’ve seen him in the past, and he comes to a couple games a year,” Rupcich said.
During his surprise appearance at the team meeting, Jelly Roll told the Titans, “I can’t get on the field,” but joked that he was getting “close.”
“I lost 200 pounds (after starting at 540 pounds). I told Coach I’m getting a contract if I lose another 50,” the “Save Me” singer said to applause from the players and staff," Jelly Roll told the team.
Jelly Roll is the stage name of Jason Bradley DeFord, a singer, rapper, and songwriter who was born and raised in Antioch, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville.
His 2022 singles “Son of a Sinner” and “Need a Favor” brought him mainstream recognition, and “Son of a Sinner” won three CMT Music Awards in 2023. He held the top spot on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart for 25 weeks, the longest in the chart’s history.
His music is known for its blend of hip-hop, country and rock, and for deeply personal lyrics about his past struggles with addiction, incarceration, and mental health.
Jelly Roll has won a total of 26 awards, including 16 wins and 10 nominations. He has won three CMT Music Awards, four People’s Choice Country Awards, and one CMA Award. He also received two Grammy nominations in 2024. Additionally, he has won seven iHeartRadio Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards (VMA), and three American Music Awards.
Beyond music, Jelly Roll is an advocate for criminal justice reform and supports initiatives focused on mental health and addiction recovery.
He went from addiction and incarceration to being one of the biggest names in music, and now he’s using his story to inspire others -- whether it’s speaking to Congress about fentanyl or encouraging players chasing greatness.
Showing he is just not a singer, Jelly Roll teamed up with Randy Orton to face Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul at WWE Summer Slam Aug. 2 in East Rutherford, N.J. Jelly Roll made his in-ring debut, taking a beating and ultimately losing the match after being pinned by Paul.
Back to football, Jelly Roll spoke not just as a fan, but as someone who knows what it takes to turn things around after Tennessee struggled through a losing season a year ago.
“We thought we were gonna connect in the 60-90 minutes,” he told the team, referencing his early years performing with his crew. “And then we learned, it was in the 23 hours we weren’t on the stage that we were building our connection.”
Rupcich agreed.
“The biggest takeaway was just to enjoy life on the road and take the opportunity to know your teammates better,” Rupcich said.
As much as Jelly Roll is a fan of his hometown team, Rupcich is a fan of the singer.
“Yeah, I love his music and the story of his life,” Rupcich said. “I’ve been to a couple of his concerts that he has done as part of CMA Fest.”
Thompson tosses three scoring passes as Steelers triumph
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Skylar Thompson, the son of former Palmyra, Missouri, boys basketball coach Brad Thompson, completed 20 of 28 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns while rushing once for three yards during the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers’ 31-25 preseason victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday.
Thompson quarterbacked the offense in six of its nine possessions. In those six possessions, the Steelers scored three touchdowns and a field goal and converted six of nine on third down.
Thompson, a seventh-round draft pick out of Kansas State by the Miami Dolphins, seems like a long shot to make the Steelers’ 53-man.
“I was excited to get out there and get some opportunities and go play some football,” said Thompson, who was signed to a reserve/futures contract after spending two seasons and starting three games with the Dolphins. “I just had a lot of fun.”
Thompson is behind future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, and rookie Will Howard (sidelined with a hand injury). Rodgers isn’t expected to play during the preseason, and with Howard out, Rudolph and Thompson will handle the bulk of the exhibition snaps.
But Thompson made a strong impression during the preseason opener. The 28-year-old should continue to get increased reps while Howard is sidelined, but it seems most likely that Thompson is competing for a spot on Pittsburgh’s practice squad or a roster spot elsewhere.
“I thought it started with Arthur getting the plays in efficiently and being able to operate,” Thompson told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I thought we had a good rhythm and tempo in and out of the huddle all day.”
The reference was to offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who tested his two quarterbacks with a lot of play action. Rudolph and Thompson combined to complete 76.3% of their attempts (29 of 38) for 301 yards and four touchdowns.
Schrader finds end zone during Rams victory
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Former Truman State University and University of Missouri All-American Cody Schrader turned in the best game of his young career on Saturday for the Los Angeles Rams.
Schrader rushed five times for 59 yards and caught a pass for nine yards and a touchdown during Saturday’s 31-21 preseason victory over the Dallas Cowboys. He also had a 22-yard kickoff return.
The second-year back’s performance on Saturday was a far cry from his first preseason stint in 2024 with the 49ers, in which he managed just 21 yards on 15 carries over two contests.
Schrader was untouched on his nine-yard touchdown reception from rookie quarterback Stetson Bennett, and he broke multiple tackles during a 25-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Despite the strong showing, Schrader faces an uphill battle with Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, and fourth-round rookie Jarquez Hunter all likely to make the 53-man roster.
Schrader was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent on May 10, 2024, and was waived on Aug. 27. The Los Angeles Rams claimed Schrader off waivers the next day.
After spending the season on the reserve list, Schrader was active for the final game of the season. During a 30-25 loss, Schrader had one carry for three yards and caught one pass for six yards as the playoff-bound Rams rested several starters.
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