There were eye rolls and head scratches when the Titans signed Tim Boyle this spring, making him the fourth quarterback on the 90-man training camp roster.
Some guessed it meant Will Levis was on his way out the door via trade. That scenario didn’t happen, though Levis is now on the shelf with season-ending shoulder surgery.
But it was explained that general manager Mike Borgonzi, who came from Kansas City, simply liked bringing four quarterbacks to training camp when possible.
Boyle’s signing by the Titans meant he has now been employed by a quarter of the teams in the league. Tennessee is Boyle’s eighth NFL stop in a career that dates back to 2019.
The best thing you can say about Tim Boyle’s professional career is that he is adaptable, moving from the Packers to the Lions, Bears, Jets, Texans (offseason only) and splitting time last year with the Dolphins and Giants.
Boyle, 30, is 0-5 lifetime as a starter through six NFL seasons of bouncing from team to team, with five touchdown passes and 13 interceptions in that span. But he maintains an optimistic outlook about his career to date.
“You can look at it through two different lenses. It’s challenging to bound around and try to solidify yourself in a culture with another group of men in a locker room,” Boyle says. “But that’s also the fun part. You get to meet a lot of cool people and you get to see a lot of cultures and how Coach Cally (Brian Callahan) runs it here. I love being a part of the Titans, and it’s been fun here.
“I love my journey. Football between the white lines is football,” he continues. “I think I find a little bit of peace knowing that whichever team I’m on, football is just the same on that field. I’ve enjoyed my journey, but I’m glad I’m here in Nashville.”
Boyle, running third team most of the time, is under no delusion that he is in any type of competition to start for the Titans. He knows his role is to be a backup and, along with second-teamer Brandon Allen, serve as a mentor and sounding board for Ward.
“I just want to compete and help Cam get ready, because I know he’s the guy and he’s got a lot of ground to make up just because he’s a rookie coming into a fast-paced NFL game,” Boyle says. “He’s been doing a really good job in practice. I think Brandon (Allen) and I have been doing a good job of kind of helping him on the field, a couple of tidbits here and there.”
Control what you can
The coaching staff appreciates the unsung roles that Boyle and Allen have taken on in the quarterback room.
“He’s been great. He has a lot of experience from other systems and stops,” offensive coordinator Nick Holz says. “He has really embraced being a resource for Cam. Also, he has brought a calmness to that third-string huddle, which has really helped some of the younger guys play faster. He has really improved since we got him this spring.”
Callahan has taken notice of Boyle’s role as well.
“I think Tim has done some good things. He’s learning the offense for the first time, as well, so he’s trying to figure some things out with it. But I’ve been really pleased with that room and how they’ve worked together and how they’ve operated on the practice field,” Callahan says.
As for Boyle, he says he has learned just to control what he can control.
“My goals for myself are just to come in and compete,” he notes. “When I start worrying about reps and that kind of stuff, it just bogs me down. So I just show up for practice and they tell me what reps I get and I go compete.”
Boyle, who attended the same Xavier, Connecticut, high school as Levis and has known him since Levis was a high school freshman, says coaching could be something in the cards once his NFL time is done.
“I’ve seen a lot of football. I’ve had a lot of coaches, even going back to my UConn days. I’ve had a lot of different coaching systems and offensive styles. I feel like I’ve got a good grasp on the game,” Boyle says. “I’ve seen a lot of football. I haven’t played a lot – I’ve got five starts and I’ve played in a couple more – but I feel like I see it pretty well.
“I do pride myself on coming into the quarterback room and trying to bring some knowledge into the room and some perspective on my experiences. Ultimately, down the road, that would be a cool job to coach quarterbacks and maybe be a head coach one day.
“I try to handle my business as a player, but also when it comes to helping players to progress, I try to help with that, as well.”