NASHVILLE, Tenn. —Andrew Turzilli grew up in New Jersey, as a Giants fan.
In fact, he played a high school game at the old Giants Stadium in East Rutherford.
On Sunday, the receiver is expected to make his NFL debut with the Titans, against the Jets – his mom's favorite team.
"I am very excited,'' Turzilli, who played in college at Rutgers, said Friday. "I'll have a lot of family and friends at the game. So it will be fun. … (My) uncles and friends will be there, but they're Jets fans … so it will probably be a little awkward. Hopefully they'll be rooting for me. I'm sure they will be."
With Kendall Wright out for Sunday's game because of sore ribs, first-year receivers Tre McBride and Turzilli are both scheduled to play against the Jets. McBride, a seventh-round pick, has played in the last three games, but his contribution has come on special teams.
Turzilli, meanwhile, has been inactive the last three weeks after being signed to the team's active roster from the 49ers' practice squad on November 17. Turzilli spent training camp with the Titans after being signed as an undrafted free agent.
"I feel like with Kendall out, I am going to get an opportunity to play,'' Turzilli said. "We have a great receiver group that's helped get me up to speed with the game plan, along with the coaches. So I feel prepared."
Titans interim coach Mike Mularkey said Turzilli and McBride will get a chance.
"They are (ready),'' Mularkey said Friday. "They have been here as early as the coaches. They are here early, and they stay late. They have been grinding.
"So they are going to step up and make the most of their opportunity. But they will play pretty extensively."
While Turzilli is ready for the challenge, he could line up across from two tough cornerbacks in veterans Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis.
The good news is he has a good rapport with quarterback Marcus Mariota.
"Marcus has been great,'' Turzilli said. "Right when I saw him when I first got back he welcomed me back and asked me how I was doing and stuff like that. So he has been doing good. He has helped bring me up to speed with the game plan."
