INDIANAPOLIS —Titans tight end Delanie Walker left Lucas Oil Stadium beat up, mentally and physically. He shattered records during a season when the team finished 3-13. He toppled two milestones in Sunday's season finale, a 30-24 loss to the Colts.
"It's one of the better seasons for a tight end in NFL history,'' Titans interim coach Mike Mularkey said of Walker. "To come in here and play the way he plays, every play, every game…
"There's not a lot of guys like Delanie Walker. And I don't think he's done yet."
With a first quarter catch on Sunday, Walker became the first tight end in franchise history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
Later, Walker became just the ninth tight end in NFL history to record 90 catches in a season, joining Tony Gonzalez (five times), Jason Witten (four), Todd Christensen (two) and Dallas Clark, Jimmy Graham, Ben Coates, Martellus Bennett and Rob Gronkowski.
Walker, named a first alternate to the Pro Bowl, earlier this season broke franchise record for most catches and most receiving yards in a season for a tight end.
Walker admitted another losing season took a toll on him. But he did his job each week.
He said he always looked up to Gonzalez and "it's a privilege to be up there with those guys" on the list.
"Just being in my tenth year and being able to still go out there and perform at a high level and do the things I do week after week, it means a lot,'' Walker said.
"It just shows that I grind during the offseason and I come in ready to play. And when my number is called I am ready to play."
Walker had nine catches for 94 yards in Sunday's game.
He finished the season 94 catches for 1,088 yards and six touchdowns.
Walker on Sunday also had a 36-yard run in the first half on a "Statue of Liberty" play.
When he takes the field next, it could very well be in Hawaii, in the Pro Bowl.
"After that reverse I was tired,'' Walker said. "But a couple of weeks off, after recovering, I should be good."
The Tennessee Titans take on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17 at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Photos: Donn Jones, AP)
