NASHVILLE – Welcome aboard, Desmond King.
King, traded to the Titans this week, scored a touchdown in his Tennessee debut on Sunday at Nissan Stadium when he scooped up a fumble raced 63 yards to the end zone.
It was one of the highlights on defense in the team's 24-17 win over the Bears.
"I met him yesterday in the locker room, he came and introduced himself, and we talked a little bit," Titans receiver A.J. Brown said of King. "We were talking on the sideline (today) and I was like, 'First game you get a touchdown, that's crazy.' He played a good game today and I am excited for him to be a part of the team."
A defensive back, King was credited with two tackles and the fumble recovery. King went through Zoom meetings and COVID-19 testing protocols during the week before being cleared to play.
King started the contest, and he played in 52 of the team's 74 defensive snaps, according to NextGenStats.
"Everybody gets challenged with something," King said. "You have to have a positive mindset, and use it as motivation. And I think that is what I did. I had to step up to the plate, and I think I came out with a great outcome at the end of the day."
King's scoop and score came after defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons knocked the ball out of the hands of Bears running back David Montgomery.
"Coming here on a short week, knowing he was going to have to play this week, he did a great job coming in trying to help out this defense that fast," Simmons said of King. "He did a hell of a job today, and I'm happy for him. In his first game he got a touchdown. There's not a better feeling than that."
Formerly with the Chargers, King (5-10, 201) earned AP All-Pro honors at cornerback and second-team All-Pro as a punt returner in 2018 for the Chargers. In his four seasons with the Chargers, King tallied 213 tackles, four interceptions, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 7.5 sacks in 53 games played (23 starts). During his All-Pro season (2018), he totaled 60 tackles, three interceptions, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and an 13.8-yard average as a punt returner.
King said he's happy to be with the Titans.
It turns out he spent part of the offseason training with some of the Titans in California.
"When I heard about the trade, I absolutely loved it. I knew it was going to be a great opportunity for me," King said. "It was already a great defense and adding me to it made it even better.
"It's a family around here, and these guys are here to play football, and I am here to play football as well -- I love to play football and you can see it out there when we're playing as a team. Just to have an opportunity to come play with these guys, it is definitely a blessing."
