NASHVILLE – Veteran defensive lineman Jack Crawford joined the Titans back in April, and he could hardly wait to get to work.
But the coronavirus pandemic put the NFL on hold, so Crawford waited.
When NFL camps opened in July, Crawford finally had a chance to unite with his new teammates in Tennessee. Then he had to put things on pause again after being placed on the team's Reserve-COVID-19 list.
Not exactly the start Crawford had in mind.
"It was tough," Crawford said on a video conference call on Sunday. "At first it was just tough kind of being in that position. When you're told that you have to go into quarantine it's like a shock, and then at first you can get pretty down on yourself. I was worried at first that I was going to fall too far behind. Coming back from that, I felt like I was over-worrying. I felt like I was stressing too much. Coming back, the coaches, Coach (Mike) Vrabel, they take it in stride. They're glad that we're back. It made me feel better about coming back."
Crawford (6-5, 274), an eight-year veteran who has played with the Raiders, Cowboys and Falcons since entering the NFL in 2012, worked on his own while his teammates worked on the field.
Quarantine life was unique, to say the least.
While living in a hotel room, Crawford went old-school to get his body right for camp. He used resistance bands and did push-ups and sit-ups to get his heartrate up. He took part in video conference calls with teammates and coaches to stay on track in the classroom, while they were sweating on the field.
Crawford practiced for the first time on August 20. His third practice was on Sunday.
On his second day on the practice field, at the team's August 21 practice at Nissan Stadium, Crawford got the attention of his head coach.
"I'm excited to work with Jack," Vrabel said. "Just watching his effort the other day -- the first play that he was in there in the scrimmage, the play went to the sidelines and he was flying down the line of scrimmage and was there. He had a great play (Sunday). Just his effort level. He's a veteran player and what has stood out to me has been the effort that he's been able to show since he's gotten back off that COVID/Reserve list."
Crawford said that's what he's all about.
"In terms of effort, that's something that I brought that to football since I started playing," he said. "I guess it's helped me stay in the league, it's also helped me catch up when I have to. I understand I'm coming from a position where I'm a little bit behind. So, I think that that kind of helps me probably catch up with the rest of the team."
The Titans believe Crawford will be a nice addition on a defensive line with DaQuan Jones, Jeffery Simmons, and several others competing for roster spots, and playing time.
In 93 career games, Crawford has recorded 132 tackles and 16 sacks. He recorded a career-high 35 tackles and six sacks during the 2018 season with the Falcons, where he played for the past three seasons. In 16 games with the Falcons in 2019, Crawford tallied 24 tackles and a half-sack. In his first season with the Falcons in 2017, Crawford suffered a torn biceps injury in Week 4.
In eight seasons, Crawford has started 26 games.
A fifth-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders in the 2012 NFL Draft, Crawford was born in London, England. He moved to the United States in 2005 and attended St. Augustine Preparatory School in Richland, New Jersey.
Crawford, who played collegiately at Penn State, played his first two seasons with the Raiders (2012-13) before playing three seasons with the Cowboys (2014-16). He's played at defensive tackle and defensive end during his NFL career.
On Sunday, Crawford said he's still catching up.
But he feels like he's in the right spot in Tennessee.
"I think it's great," he said. "It's funny, coming here, I'm probably the lightest person weight-wise on the defensive line. Everybody's probably got around about 10, maybe 15 pounds on me. Coming here, I see the style of play here. I've worked with Coach Terrell Williams. He was my defensive line coach my first two years in the league, coming in as rookie. I have history with him. I've played with DaQuan (Jones). I went to the same school – I went to Penn State with DaQuan Jones. Meting the rest of the guys has been good. There's a certain culture on the D-line, a type of guy they have, this straight up guy, solid people, they're not hard to work with. Everybody kind of supports each other in a certain way.
"On the field, we all value hard work and we all value effort. Things that basically help a D-line perform to the level that we need to. We all hold each other accountable and I think that we're going to help each other kind of progress to where we need to be based on coming in on such a hard year this year, having no preseason games, and no real measurement to evaluate each other by, or to evaluate ourselves by. I think it helps having a D-line that keeps each other accountable."
Crawford, who just began playing football as a junior in high school, smiled when asked how his new teammates are getting used to him, especially with his British accent.
It turns out it's been an adjustment for some of them as well.
"It's tough because my accent – sometimes people will catch on to some words I say and they'll be like, 'What?' They'll say like, 'What'd you say?' and they won't understand what I'm saying, and I'll have to kind of almost adjust my accent so they understand what I'm saying better," Crawford with a smile.
"It's always been an issue for me. Obviously since I came to the country my accent was a lot stronger, and then over time it kind of faded a little bit. Now I go back to London and everyone says I sound American. My accent got caught in middle. I go to London, I'm American. I come over here, people say I sound funny. It's stuck in a weird place. I'm just trying to hold onto what little bit of accent I got left."
A look back at defensive lineman Jack Crawford's first eight NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders. (AP Photos)
Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Jack Crawford (95) gets set for a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Jack Crawford (95) during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Andreas Knappe (75), left, of Denmark, and center Travis Averill (61) block defensive end Jack Crawford (95) during the team's NFL training camp football practice Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, in Flowery Branch, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) passes as center Zac Kerin (67) and offensive guard Graham Glasgow (60) block Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jack Crawford (95) during an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)
Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (27) runs away from Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jack Crawford (95) and Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (97) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) throws a pass past Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jack Crawford (95) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) runs against Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jack Crawford (95) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) is sacked by Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jack Crawford and linebacker Foye Oluokun (54) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Jack Crawford (95) sits on the bench during the first half an NFL preseason football game against the New York Jets, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jack Crawford (95) pressures New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) works against Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jack Crawford (95) during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jack Crawford (95) on the bench during an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)
Atlanta Falcons defensive end Jack Crawford (95) celebrates a sack on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Atlanta Falcons' Jack Crawford (95) intercepts a Carolina Panthers pass during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Jason E. Miczek)
Atlanta Falcons' Jack Crawford (95) intercepts a pass against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Jack Crawford (95) gets set for a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Jack Crawford (95) sits on the bench during the first half an NFL preseason football game against the New York Jets, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Jack Crawford gets set for a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) rushes against the Detroit Lions during an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) and Ryan Russell (99) pressure Minnesota Vikings' Taylor Heinicke (6) during a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jack Crawford (58) stands on the sideline during a preseason NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins on Friday, Aug. 19, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jack Crawford (58) and Ryan Russell (99) walk off the field during a preseason NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins on Friday, Aug. 19, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) stretches on the field before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jack Crawford (58) celebrates sacking Cincinnati Bengals' Andy Dalton with free safety J.J. Wilcox (27) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, in Arlington. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
San Diego Chargers quarterback Kellen Clemens (10) fumbles the ball as he is hit by Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jack Crawford (58) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jordan Hill, left, and Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jack Crawford, right, trade jerseys after an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. Seattle won 13-12. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Dallas Cowboys free safety J.J. Wilcox (27) and defensive end Jack Crawford (58) celebrate during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, in Arlington. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford stretches on the field before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) is sacked by Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) and Greg Hardy (76) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) stretches on the field before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
New Orleans Saints running back Khiry Robinson (29) looks for room against Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jack Crawford (58) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. Dallas won 38-17. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jack Crawford waves to fans on stage during the NFL Fan Rally outside Wembley Stadium, London, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014. The Dallas Cowboys will play the Jacksonville Jaguars in an NFL football game at London's Wembley Stadium on Sunday Nov. 9. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)
FILE - In this Aug. 19, 2016, file photo, Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill is sacked by Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) and Tyrone Crawford (98) in the first half of an NFL preseason football game, in Arlington, Texas. For the Dolphins, the usual optimism of training camp lasted only until the first scrimmage, when a dismal showing by the offense prompted all kinds of dire commentary about how 2016 was going to be more of the same. Tackle Branden Albert, not one to overreact after nine years in the NFL, suggested waiting a few more weeks before drawing conclusions. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth, File)
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jack Crawford celebrates a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals during a second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jack Crawford (58) sacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) and Benson Mayowa celebrate a Chicago Bears' Brian Hoyer fumble recovered by Mayowa in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving (95) watches as defensive end Jack Crawford (58) sacks Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) sacks Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5 during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) sacks Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5 during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Philadelphia Eagles' Carson Wentz throws as Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford closes in during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)
Baltimore Ravens' Dennis Pitta (88) and Ricky Wagner (71) watch as Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) celebrates sacking quarterback Joe Flacco during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) dives forward trying to stop Detroit Lions' Eric Ebron (85) from gaining extra yardage after making a catch during an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Baltimore Ravens' Elvis Dumervil (58) and Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving (95) celebrate during an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sarah Warnock)
Dallas Cowboys' Jack Crawford (58) rushes against the Detroit Lions during an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Oakland Raiders' Jack Crawford stretches during an NFL football minicamp Monday, June 9, 2014, in Alameda, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Oakland Raiders defensive ends David Bass, left, and Jack Crawford, right, during their NFL football training camp Friday, Aug. 2, 2013, in Napa, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2013 file photo, Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) runs from Oakland Raiders defensive end Jack Crawford (91) during the second quarter of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif. It used to be the domain of soccer players, NBA forwards and the occasional punter. Now, NFL quarterbacks are getting into the act. They are sports' newest floppers, putting their own tightly spiraled spin on the art of hamming it up to draw the ref's attention and a possible 15-yard penalty. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
Oakland Raiders defensive end Jack Crawford (91) watches from the bench during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)
Oakland Raiders defensive end Jack Crawford during their NFL football training camp Sunday, July 27, 2014, in Napa, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Oakland Raiders' Jack Crawford during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Sunday, Nov. 17, 2013, in Houston. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Oakland Raiders defensive end Jack Crawford, right, walks off the field after practice at the Raiders mini camp in Alameda, Calif., Thursday, June 19, 2014. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Oakland Raiders defensive end Jack Crawford practices at an NFL football training camp in Napa, Calif., Monday, July 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Oakland Raiders defensive end Jack Crawford (91) at an NFL football training camp in Napa, Calif., Friday, Aug. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
