NASHVILLE, Tenn. --Don't call Titans safety Daimion Stafford an instigator.
"You can call me a spark plug, that's cool,'' Stafford said with a smile, "but I'm definitely not an instigator."
Stafford, in his third NFL season, has played in 31 games over the past two seasons. He stepped in a year ago and had a career-high 33 tackles with an interception, and was in on a number of big hits on defense and special teams.
During training camp, he's worn some flashy cleats -- and he's been in the middle of the action.
During a spirited practice on Monday night, Stafford was involved in two of the three skirmishes.
A seventh round pick in 2013 out of Nebraska, Stafford is known for playing with an attitude.
"Hey, it is supposed to be riled up in football, it is a passionate game, and that is how I play it,'' Stafford said. "It's not a bad thing to have some swagger. We went 2-14 last year, we need to have a chip on our shoulder."
Titans veteran cornerback Jason McCourty likes Stafford's fire.
It's a trait that can be found in all the team's safeties, he said, from starters Michael Griffin and Da'Norris Searcy to Marqueston Huff and Khalid Wooten.
"That's the fun thing about our safeties,'' McCourty said. "All of those guys kind of set the tempo. Those guys are feisty, and one of them gets into a scrap it gets everybody fired up.
"I think for those guys, being a safety in this league, you have to be physical but you have to be smart at the same time. You have to know how to play on the edge but also keep your cool. Watching those guys make it fun for all of us."
