Carnell Tate’s father won’t be making the jump to Titans red and navy for the preseason finale.
When Tennessee wraps up the preseason against the Chicago Bears, the rookie wide receiver’s dad will be stuck in a familiar spot: backing the team he grew up loving. Tate made that much clear Thursday, and he did it with a grin.
“Hell no,” Tate answered quickly with a smile when asked if his dad would wear Titans gear for the game.
That answer fits the family history. Tate and his dad were Bears fans long before the wideout landed in Tennessee, and they grew up admiring Jay Cutler, Matt Forte and Brandon Marshall. So even with Carnell Tate now on the Titans, there’s still one game where loyalty gets complicated.
If Tate is on the field in the preseason finale, it won’t be for long. The expectation is only a few series, but that’s still enough for his dad to watch his son line up against the franchise he’s rooted for all his life.
The Titans took Tate as the first receiver selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he’s expected to be a major target for starting quarterback Cam Ward. Tennessee is betting on the same traits Tate showed at Ohio State, where he caught 121 passes for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns across three seasons.
His college résumé already includes a national championship with the Buckeyes in 2024 and Second-team All-American honors in 2025. And while his dad will be in Bears gear for this preseason matchup, that won’t be the case for long. Tate said his father will be wearing his jersey plenty during his rookie year and beyond - just not when Chicago is on the other sideline.
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