Linebacker Jack Gibbens has made a positive impression on the Tennessee Titans since being signed as an undrafted free agent in May, and he has even earned a nickname from head coach Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel, who calls Gibbens “Dr. Gibby,” recently explained how the nickname came about and heaped praise on the rookie for his progression and ability to answer questions and help his teammates out.
“Dr. Gibby is smart. He’s picked up the defense extremely well. He’s going to be fun to watch playing in the [preseason opener],” Vrabel said. “He gets everybody lined up. He knows exactly what to do. He can help other guys. He’s always around the football. That’s kind of what we saw last year watching film at Minnesota.”
After practice on Saturday, Gibbens touched on the nickname bestowed upon him by Vrabel.
“He started out calling me ‘Gibby’ early on and then I guess a couple of days into being here for OTAs, I was kind of answering some questions right and, I don’t know, he thought maybe I was a doctor and he started calling me ‘Dr. Gibby,’” Gibbens said.
“I didn’t really get it, I was like ‘coach, you know I wasn’t pre-med.’ I thought that maybe he thought I was studying to be a doctor. He was like ‘it’s just a joke,’ Gibbens added. “I guess that one went over my head. But I guess it’s good to have a nickname. I feel like it’s a positive one, so I’ll take it.”
Gibbens, who made his preseason debut against the Baltimore Ravens and led the team with nine tackles, also touched on his first live-game action in the NFL.
“It’s just football out there. Kind of get a little pre-game nerves but once the ball is snapped, it’s the same game you’ve been playing,” Gibbens said. “It was a lot of fun… just obviously some plays you want back, some things you want to do different but I felt like it went well.”
Gibbens is facing an uphill climb in making the roster at a position the Titans already have three roster locks at, but his ability to catch the attention of Vrabel and Co. will go a long way towards helping him make the cut.