Calico Not Worried About Being a Starter

Posted 2:33PM on Monday 1st August 2005 ( 19 years ago )

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tyrone Calico has learned the value of patience. The Tennessee receiver tried to rush back last season, hoping to help a team losing players to injuries left and right. He came back too fast and lasted only one half before having his season ended by surgery to repair cartilage and his left anterior cruciate ligament. Now the Titans would like to see Calico step up as a starter across from Drew Bennett, but Calico, cleared for training camp, is fine with being eased back into action. "It's tough to stay patient because everyone's making plays on the deep ball," Calico said of the three rookie receivers - Courtney Roby, Brandon Jones and Roydell Williams. "As long as I stay patient, we've still got more practices to come. But right now it's more mental toughness, and I know what I'm doing in my rehab. I'm more understanding. If I'd got hurt in my first year, I'd be out there trying to go all out. But right now I'm ... going along with the process." How well Calico plays will help determine how much the Titans miss veteran Derrick Mason, who was released in February in a salary cap purge despite leading the team in receptions the past four seasons. The Titans drafted the 6-foot-4, 222-pound Calico in the second round in 2003 with an eye to the future. They loved his size and speed and made him the 60th overall pick out of Middle Tennessee. Calico showed promise by scoring touchdowns on his first two receptions as a rookie. But he struggled to catch the ball and finished with only 18 receptions for 297 yards and four touchdowns. His second year was even worse. Calico started camp by catching nearly everything thrown his way until Dallas safety Roy Williams yanked him down from behind in the Titans' third exhibition. That left Calico with a pair of sprained knees, and he had surgery to repair some cartilage in his left knee. He missed the first three games, then tried to return against San Diego on Oct. 3. He caught two passes for 13 yards and looked healthy until he went down by himself while trying to catch a pass in the flat. Calico didn't tear his ACL, but it was frayed enough from an initial injury suffered in high school that Dr. James Andrews decided repair was the best option during surgery on Oct. 14. The receiver promised he would be back for the start of training camp, and he was right. But Calico is just one of the Titans recuperating from ACL surgery. The Titans are also limiting safety Tank Williams, linebacker Peter Sirmon and offensive lineman Jacob Bell to one practice a day, while Calico and Williams have worked only in individual drills the first two days. On Sunday, Calico caught a pass across the middle during his first team drill of training camp. That is fine with Calico, who wants to be available and dependable for all 16 games starting with the opener on Sept. 11 at Pittsburgh. "Everybody around here probably thinks I'm going to be a starter," Calico said. "That's not my focus. My focus is to be accountable and make it through the year. If I get that spot, I get that spot. If not, I'm still going to be around." © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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