NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans on Thursday waived veteran offensive lineman Eugene Amano, who immediately became a free agent.
Amano played 124 regular season games and made 68 starts (32 at left guard, 32 at center and four at right guard). Amano missed four games in his first eight seasons but suffered a torn triceps during training camp last August that caused him to miss all of 2012.
He spent this offseason rehabbing the injury and **made his first return trip to the Philippines in 31 years**. Amano was born in Manila to parents who served in the U.S. Navy but only spent the first two months of his life there before his parents were transferred.
Amano used the trip to assist an organization called Gawad Kalinga, which translates "to give care" and is similar to Habitat for Humanity and also was a guest of U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas.
The Titans selected Amano, who is believed to be the only full-blooded Filipino to play in the NFL, in the seventh-round of the 2004 out of Southeast Missouri.
Amano also started each of the past two Titans playoff games (center in 2007 and left guard in 2008). He started all 16 games at left guard in 2008 when Tennessee allowed the fewest sacks (12) in the league and 15 of 16 games in 2009 when Chris Johnson rushed for 2,006 yards. He moved to center in 2010 where he started all 29 games he played from 2010-11.
