Adam Coon: Wrestler-Turned-Offensive Lineman?

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Tim Tebow to play tight end earlier this offseason. It’s an experiment that has been criticized by many within the sports media. Tebow was a former quarterback who last played in the NFL in 2012 with the New York Jets. After four seasons in the New York Mets’ farm system, he retired in 2021 from baseball and decided to return to football.

The Titans Give it a Go

Now, a new experiment is taking place within the AFC South division. A couple of days ago, the Tennessee Titans recently signed Adam Coon to a contract. For those who are not familiar with the name, he was a wrestler in college for the maize and blue of the University of Michigan. Coon, who received an All-American honor three times over the course of his four years in Ann Arbor, recently filled the open spot on the Titans roster after cornerback Kevin Johnson went on the reserve-retired list and offensive tackle Anthony McKinney was placed on waivers. Now NFL fans are wondering, why is Coon getting a shot to play football? Well, he signed with the Titans after finding out that he had narrowly missed the cut to qualify for the Greco-Roman Wrestling event at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Who is Adam Coon?

Coon is a physical player, as noted by his big, burly frame that he displayed when he was wrestling (286-pound/130-kilogram weight class, 6’5”), and his frame helped him present a record of 116 wins compared to just 15 losses at Michigan, while also acquiring medals over the past three years at both the world championship events and the Pan-American championships in the Greco-Roman wrestling category. The physicality is bound to help the Titans offensive line,

The last time the wrestler played football was back in the 2012 season when he was a senior in high school. But compared to Tebow, Coon seems to have a bit of an advantage, according to a recent article by Jake Elman of sportscasting.com. As Elman notes, “The difference between Coon and Tebow goes beyond their positions. Coon is seven years younger and has been active in a very physical sport. Although he’s remained in great shape, Tebow can’t compare his recent stint in minor league baseball to wrestling.”

Overall, I think Coon will be a boost for Tennessee, but the only thing I worry about is the rust he has comparable to Tebow. Only one way to find out for sure.