KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ryan Tannehill sat with his elbows on his knees and stared blankly into space. Surrounding him in the visiting team locker room of Arrowhead Stadium, his teammates perched their large frames on small stools. A few players were crying. Some scrolled through their phones, their eyes red. Others just looked down.
Tennessee’s future includes many football-less months following their unexpected and thrilling playoff run, which ended Sunday with a 35–24 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC championship game. While the victors hoisted the Lamar Hunt Trophy through falling confetti and fans shot off fireworks in the surrounding parking lots, Tannehill moved slowly.