will be taking his talents to Nashville.
Despite his lack of production, boorish behavior and the fact that his on- and off-field antics forced two teams to part ways with him in the span of 26 days, Moss was deemed an acceptable risk for Jeff Fisher and the Titans, who claimed the receiver off waivers late Wednesday afternoon. Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean was first to report the news.
[Photos: Latest images of Randy Moss]
Tennessee was No. 22 on the NFL’s waiver order (which goes from worst record to best), meaning 21 other teams passed on the chance to bring Moss onto their team.
In Tennessee, Moss will join Vince Young(notes) and a decimated receiving corps that just lost last week’s breakout star, Kenny Britt(notes), to a minor injury. The Titans will pick up the remainder of Moss’ $6.4 million contract, which expires at the end of the year.
Moss was cut on Monday by the Vikings after a tumultuous weekend that began with him insulting a restaurant owner during a team meal. In Sunday’s loss to his former team, the New England Patriots, Moss quit on a play and then blasted coach Brad Childress in a bizarre, postgame press conference. The decision to waive him was made hours later, while Moss was still in Boston after reportedly demanding that he be allowed to stay in the city following the game.
[Watch: Funny song tribute to Moss]
After his release, Moss was placed on waivers, where teams ranked in order of worst record had a chance to make a claim. Because he’s viewed as a short-term rental, not a long-term investment, Moss was bypassed by teams with first dibs on him. The belief: There’s no upside in bringing Moss to a rebuilding project. (This could explain why the St. Louis Rams, a team considered to be favored to land Moss, passed on him. Why ruin everything Steve Spagnuolo has spent the past two years building?)
His upside made him hard to resist for a team with playoff aspirations and a solid organizational structure like the Titans. It was always believed that the team willing to gamble on Moss would have to have a strong head coach, and there are few head coaches in the league better suited to handle a diva like Moss than Jeff Fisher.
The Titans have a bye this week. Moss should make his debut with the team in Miami on Nov. 14
