During his introductory news conference Thursday in Nashville, new Titans slot receiver Adam Humphries acknowledged the New England Patriots made a late push to sign him after he committed to Tennessee earlier in the week.
A source told NESN.com’s Doug Kyed that Humphries turned down a Patriots offer with a higher average annual value and more guaranteed money to honor his commitment to the Titans.
“That’s something that I was weighing the options between both teams, and it was tough,” Humphries told reporters. “Obviously, (the Patriots) have a lot of success with guys similar to me. Obviously, everything I’ve said to you guys today about why I chose (the Titans) is true, and I’m excited to work with this team and hopefully propel them to some wins and a playoff run.”
Asked whether there was “temptation” to spurn the Titans and join the Patriots, who have a long history of developing top-level slot receivers, Humphries replied:
“When I committed to Tennessee, obviously I’m a man of my word, and I’m going to keep my word there. But it’s tough. It’s a big decision, and it’s a decision that will impact me for the rest of my life, so I obviously (put) a lot of thought into that. Having family around me was good. But once I committed to Tennessee, I was really excited to be a Titan and still am.”
Humphries, who set career highs in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns last season with the Tampa Buccaneers, pointed to his “comfort level” with Titans general manager Jon Robinson as a major selling point. Robinson previously worked in the Bucs’ front office and advocated for Humphries when he joined the team as an undrafted rookie in 2015.
