Julius Chestnut’s pregame entrance turned into an unexpected flashpoint for the Titans on Sunday, and not because of anything he did between the lines. The Tennessee running back arrived at Nissan Stadium in a Green Goblin costume, complete with a bright mask and purple cape, continuing the superhero-villain theme he had already started the week before when he showed up in a Black Panther outfit.
That kind of routine didn’t land well with plenty of observers this time. Tennessee was trying to shake off a 23-10 Week 1 loss to the Jets and get right against an Eagles team that ultimately handed the Titans a 24-20 defeat, sending them to 0-2. With the franchise coming off a 3-14 finish in 2025 and just six combined wins over its last two seasons, some fans expected a more buttoned-up approach from a team leaning on Cam Ward as its new franchise quarterback.
Podcaster Jared Stillman was especially blunt about Chestnut’s costume choice. “I would legitimately cut him. This is a job,” Stillman said.
Stillman’s criticism also carried extra weight because he has already been at odds with the organization, having lost his team credential earlier this month after a pointed question to Cam Ward drew the team’s ire.
The backlash spread quickly on social media. One fan simply called the costume “Stupid,” while another argued, “To be clear this is a multi-year practice squad player who barely snuck onto the roster this season and is now clowning around every week in the midst of being the worst franchise in the NFL for more than 3 years now. Perfect snapshot of everything the Titans have become,”
A third fan added before kickoff, “Team is 0-1 & got embarrassed by the Jets. This should get you cut. Clearly dont take your job seriously”
Chestnut’s actual on-field workload did little to change the conversation. He had no offensive touches in Week 1, and his role in Sunday’s loss remained limited as well.
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