Tennessee Titans kicker Nick Folk announced his intentions for the 2025 season and the future of his NFL career on Monday.
After drafting Maryland placekicker Chad Ryland in the 4th round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots shipped Folk to Tennessee in a trade for a 7th round pick.
The Titans rewarded Folk’s dominant 2023 with a one-year contract and the now 40-year-old veteran didn’t miss a beat. Folk has had the best years of his 17-year NFL career with Tennessee. He had led the league in field goal percentage in each of the last two seasons. In total, Folk has made 50 of his 52 field goal attempts as a Titan. That’s good for an astonishing 96.2 percent.
What’s even more impressive is Folk’s range, which seems to get better with age. He has made 11-of-12 kicks from 50+ yards out since joining the Titans. Folk was a 62 percent kicker from 50+ before coming to Tennessee.
In Week 12 of this season, a few weeks after Folk’s 40th birthday, he tied a career-high with a 56-yard field goal that helped propel the Titans to a win.
Tennessee was one of those organizations that had struggled to find stability at kicker. Folk has changed all of that. It only makes sense for the Titans to want him back. But given his age and the team’s 3-14 record this season, would Folk be interested in returning? Does Folk even intend on playing football in the future? After all, he is one of the oldest active players in the NFL and will turn 41 during the 2025 season.
Folk put any retirement rumors to rest on Monday by saying that he intends to play in 2025.
"I want to keep playing. I've told everyone [in the organization] that already. My mind is made up. Guys who I have talked to, they kind of like know when they're done. I haven't ever thought that I want to be done with it. That's just where I'm at," Folk said on Monday as the locker room was clearing out. "I want to keep playing, so it's already made up. The decision is already made in my mind. But the NFL is a two-way street, so you've got to have someone to want your services. Hopefully I can come back here and we can put together another good year on the field goal side."
Not only is Folk planning on Year 18, he wants it to be with the Titans despite the team's losing record. With how good he has played, maybe he'll get a multi-year contract this time.
"They've got a new stadium coming. I'd love to play in it. I don't know if I'll make it that long," joked Folk. He'll be 42 when Tennessee opens the new stadium. "It'a a great organization. Great city. I really enjoy Nashville. Lot of great things about it and a lot of fun to play for."
I cannot advocate enough for the Titans to bring Folk back. They should re-sign longsnapper Morgan Cox while they're at it. In an otherwise ugly year, the field goal unit was one of the few above-average and reliable things the Titans had going for them.
As long as they want to be here and perform, they should both continue being renewed.
