Titans Tuesday Brightens the Day for Local Hospital and School

Nashville, TENN - The Titans have a tradition of being active in the community and this season is no different. Every Tuesday, the players take time out from their one day-off to show their support for fans at area hospitals and schools known as Titans Tuesdays.

Titans cornerbacks Cortland Finnegan, Nick Harper, Rod Hood, Jason McCourty, and Cary Williams visited patients at Saint Thomas Hospital to sign autographs, pose for photos and share some words of encouragement. Players toured the patients' rooms, talked to them about their day and shared smiles when among the patients, families and staff.

Titans Tuesdays also includes a surprise visit to a local middle school to promote the NFL's Play 60 program and encouraging students to eat healthy, exercise and be diligent about school work. This week, kicker Rob Bironas demonstrated that he is as calm and collected in front of 400 middle school students as he is on the football field as he visited students at Haynes Middle School.

Bironas spoke about his upbringing in Louisville, KY, how his parents encouraged him to work hard to get good grades and that all his siblings were active in sports. When asked who his biggest inspiration was, Bironas spoke candidly about his mentor and hero.

"My biggest inspiration is my dad. He is such a great man and I hope I can be as good of a person as he is," said Bironas. "He didn't have much growing up but he worked hard to get to where he is today. It's because of him that I have worked really hard to be in the NFL and play for the Titans."

The NFL Play 60 program encourages school aged children to get 60 minutes of exercise in each day and to incorporate a healthy diet so that they can be the best they can be on and off the playing field. Bironas explained how he stays fit during the season and off-season. He also compared school to football explaining that Sunday's were the Titans test days and they have to spend the rest of the week studying and preparing for that week's test.

"Wednesdays are long days for us," said Bironas. "We start early in the morning with meetings, which is like class for you, then we have practices, which is kind of like a practice test and then Sunday is our big test day. We have to show that we've put in the study time during the week by playing our best."

In addition, a group of 25 students were hand picked by the school due to their good grades and behavior for their own opportunity to ask Bironas questions after the assembly. These students had Bironas' undivided attention during their private meet and greet as they asked questions to include what was Bironas' favorite game during his career.

"I have two favorite games," said Bironas. "The first one was when I kicked eight field goals during one game and set an NFL record vs. Texans and the second was when I kicked a 60 yard field goal to beat the Colts. Both were personal bests for me and of course, the 60 yard game was special because we beat the Colts and we love beating the Colts."