Bookend tackles lead the team's tour through the Mid-South on May 1 with visits to Columbia, Cornersville and Decatur; joined by defensive end Kamerion Wimbley in Florence
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Titans left tackle Michael Roos and right tackle David Stewart are scheduled to headline the Academy Sports + Outdoor Titans Caravan on Wednesday, May 1, the third day of the team's two-week annual trip through the Mid-South. Roos and Stewart will stop in the communities of Columbia, Cornersville and Decatur and be joined by defensive end Kamerion Wimbley in Florence.
Roos and Stewart begin their tour with an 11 a.m. public stop at Shoe Carnival in Columbia (2130 Brookmeade Drive). Next they head to Cornersville Elementary School (485 North Main Street) for a 1 p.m. visit with students. At 3:30 p.m., the bookend tackles will be at the Academy Sports + Outdoors in Decatur, Ala. (1205 Wimberly Drive SW). Finally, at 6:30 p.m., Wimbley joins the duo in Florence, Ala., at Buffalo Wild Wings (2870 Florence Boulevard).
Stewart is a native of Moulton, Ala., less than 25 miles from the Caravan stop in Decatur.
The Titans school program is based on the NFL's Play 60 initiative, which encourages youth to get at least 60 minutes of active play each day. Students receive a high-energy, educational message from a Titans player, eight-time Pro Bowl Titans mascot T-Rac, host Rhett Bryan and representatives from Tennessee State Parks. In addition to the Play 60 elements, audience members receive a message about making good choices in all parts of their lives. They also get up-close looks at Tennessee wildlife in the care of Tennessee State Parks, as well as information on nearby state parks.
The Titans school program will be performed 22 times during the Caravan and reach approximately 12,000 students.
Public stops during the Academy Sports + Outdoors Titans Caravan provide a way for Titans players, T-Rac and the "Voice of the Titans" Mike Keith to sign autographs and thank fans for their support. Posters are provided at no cost to all Caravan attendees for autographs, and photos are encouraged. The stops generally last one hour.
Roos and Stewart were members of the Titans' 2005 draft class. Since they were drafted — Roos in the second round and Stewart in the fourth round — they have combined for 231 starts (127 by Roos and 104 by Stewart).
Wimbley is entering his second season with the Titans and his eighth season in the NFL. In 2012, he started all 16 games and tied for second on the squad with six sacks. The former first-round pick from Florida State has 48.5 total sacks during his career with the Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders and Titans.
Titans Caravan began in 1998 as a small effort to spread goodwill through the region. Today, seven full-time staffers travel with Titans players and T-Rac through the Mid-South on a specially-decorated motor coach provided by Grand Avenue. Since 1998, the Caravan has made over 750 stops, visited more than 300 schools and allowed the team to interact directly with an estimated audience well in excess of 120,000 fans.
This year's Caravan consists of 44 total stops from April 29 through May 10.
ABOUT ACADEMY SPORTS+OUTDOORS:Academy Sports + Outdoors is a premier sports, outdoor and lifestyle retailer with a broad assortment of quality hunting, fishing and camping equipment and gear along with sports and leisure products, footwear, apparel and much more. The Texas-based company operates 160 stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The Academy Sports + Outdoors philosophy is to deliver an unparalleled shopping experience by providing convenience, offering a broad selection of quality products, delivering exceptional customer service and selling the right stuff at everyday low prices. For more information about Academy Sports + Outdoors visit academy.com, facebook.com/academy, twitter.com/academy, pinterest.com/academy and youtube.com/academy.
