Tannehill, who is out for Saturday's game against the Texans, reportedly traveled to Birmingham, Ala. earlier this week and had a tightrope surgical procedure on his right ankle, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He won't be available for the Titans' Week 17 game against the Cowboys but is hopeful to play Week 18 against the Jaguars.
While Tannehill plans to attack his rehab aggressively, Adam Schefter of ESPN relays that the quarterback is a "long shot" to return during the final two weeks of the regular season, though he may have a better chance at making it back for the playoffs, should Tennessee clinch a spot. Rapoport notes that rehab timelines for tightrope surgeries of these sort can vary, with a three-week recovery period having historically represented a best-case scenario. The Titans' decision not to place Tannehill on injured reserve supports the notion that the team is holding out hope the 34-year-old may be able to make it back for Week 18, which could be a win-or-go-home matchup to decide the AFC South champion. At least for the next two games, however, the Titans will turn the offense over to rookie Malik Willis, who previously started Weeks 8 and 9 while Tannehill dealt with ankle-related issues.
