Imagine you’re Ryan Tannehill, a young, successful guy in your early thirties with an exciting job and a lovely family. One day while relaxing in your South Florida home, you receive a call that you’re being transferred to Nashville and you need to move soon.
That’s precisely what happened to Lauren and Ryan Tannehill. The only difference is that instead of plying his trade in a downtown office building, this new hire’s role was to implement the air and ground assault strategy for the Tennessee Titans offense.
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“I had no idea Ryan would be traded to the Titans, but I had told him previously I believed we would someday live in Nashville,” Lauren told Brentwood Lifestyle. “God had a plan for us to be here, and we absolutely love it.”
Lauren & Ryan Tannehill enjoy a moment together as they tour the infamous Art Deco in the Hermitage Hotel in downtown Nashville, TN (Josh Vaughn Photography/2020)
Nashville’s Newest Power Couple
Nashville’s newest power couple are both native Texans. Ryan grew up in the plains of West Texas, just outside of Lubbock. An exceptional athlete, he excelled at multiple sports in high school. After considering scholarship offers from several Texas programs, he chose to continue his education and football career at Texas A&M.
Because of his athletic prowess, Ryan also played receiver during the first portion of his college career. His speed and hands proved valuable to the Aggies offense, with the 6-foot 4-inch receiver finishing the 2009 season with a team-leading 46 receptions for 609 yards and four touchdowns.
However, Ryan was determined to somehow return to his old position. He got his shot mid-way through the 2010 season by leading the Aggies to a victory over Texas Tech and never looked back.
Success on the gridiron wasn’t the only success Ryan had at college. While on a spring break trip to Panama City in 2009, he met a gorgeous A&M co-ed that would become his wife one day. “We had so much in common and immediately formed a connection,” explains Lauren. “Our love for God and His plans for us is something we talked at length about. Although we both attended A&M together until that spring break trip, we had never met.”
To put it mildly, 2012 was a massive year for the young quarterback. Not only did the Miami Dolphins select him in the first round of the NFL draft, he and Lauren married. After settling in Miami, they focused on his career and starting a family. Their son, Steel, is now 4 years old, and their daughter, Stella, is 2.
Titan Bound
Fast forward to 2019, and that’s when the Tannehills moved to Nashville, with Ryan spending the first few games as the Titan’s backup quarterback. In the second half of the sixth game, Ryan’s number was called to take the reins.
Although some NFL analysts thought his best playing days had passed, Ryan ended the season by posting such impressive stats that he was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year and participated in his first Pro Bowl.
All these accomplishments mean many 12-hour plus days for Ryan, yet he enjoys quality time with his family while exploring all that Middle Tennessee offers.
Loving Music City
“I love that Nashville has four seasons,” says Tannehill, the Titans QB, when asked about his new hometown. “There’s a wonderful family feel here, and the people are so wonderful and accepting to us. A weekly date night is a priority for Lauren and me, and we love bouncing around the city and trying so many incredible restaurants. Steak, seafood, barbecue, ethnic food; it’s all here.”
No one will disagree that 2020 is presenting many challenges to professional sports and life in general. Due to COVID-19, the NFL has restricted game attendance and certainly changed the way teams prepare for games. Still, Ryan sees an upside to living and working in Nashville this year.
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“You can definitely feel the support for the Titans. It’s been really cool to see the community rally around the team since we arrived,” Tannehill adds.
“One thing I immediately noticed when we arrived was the support and energy for the Predators. We had planned to attend a few games at Bridgestone Arena, but then, you know, COVID showed up. Lauren and I are looking forward to rooting for the Preds and other area professional sports teams soon. It’s important for us to give back as much or more than Nashville is giving us,” he adds.
Besides cheering for their dad and husband when he’s playing inside Nissan Stadium on Sunday afternoons, Lauren and the kids spend lots of time exploring Nashville’s numerous parks.
“Nashville has the best parks!” Lauren exclaims. “We’re naturally an active and athletic family, and Ryan and I love playing outside with the kids. It’s an amazing place to raise our family, and we thank God every single day that we live here.”
This article originally appeared in Brentwood Lifestyle magazine. Photography by Josh Vaughn Photography.