It’s been a “Hot Guy Summer” for Tennessee safety Kevin Byard.
In July, he became the highest-paid safety in the NFL when he signed a five-year, $70.5 million contract, with $31 million guaranteed. Not bad for a former third-round pick from Middle Tennessee.
But he followed the financial deal with some big family news, when his wife, Clarke, gave birth to daughter Eliana Rose Byard, who arrived nearly a month early, weighing four pounds, 10 ounces, in August.
Byard, who’s quickly become one of the top free safeties in the league, after starring at Martin Luther King Jr. High, is set to face the Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“In moments like this you just look at this as a blessing,” Byard told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution via phone Thursday. “I’ve been working very hard to get the things I want in life. It’s just a blessing.”
After his college days, Byard was invited to the Senior Bowl, but didn’t receive a scouting-combine invite.
Life comes at you fast sometimes.
“Right now, I’m kind of locked in on the Falcons, but at the same time, it’s like, it’s crazy because when you’re in the midst of the season, everything is move on to the next thing, the next thing,” Byard said. “So, I haven’t had a bunch of time to reflect on things, but the birth of my daughter kind of put a lot of things in perspective. She’s just a real big blessing to me right now. I’m just so excited and happy.”
Byard was interviewed by the Falcons and was hoping they would draft him. Now, he’s plotting their demise.
“I’m ready to come back home to Atlanta,” Byard said. “I haven’t played in the new stadium or whatever, so it’s going to be pretty fun.”
He’ll have a group of “20 something” family, friends and former high school and college teammates at the game.
“It’s crazy because I actually graduated in the Georgia Dome, but you know they knocked the Georgia Dome down,” Byard said. “This is going to be my first time in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. So, it’s going to be exciting, but the best thing would be to come home and get the victory. So that’s the kind of thing I’m focused on and working hard toward every single day.”
Byard, a quarterback in high school, always was a student of the game. He transferred that preparation to playing defense.
“He’s a very good player,” said Falcons tight end coach Mike Mularkey, who was the Titans’ head coach when they drafted Byard. “He’s the ultimate pro. He does his homework.”
The Titans count on Byard to get the defense organized.
“He knows everything about what’s going on,” Mularkey said. “He’s the captain of that defense there on the back end, and he makes sure that everybody is in the right spot. They do a lot, and Kevin is that guy.”
Byard has been studying the Falcons, who like the Titans are off to a 1-2 start.
“The strength of their team is the skill-position players,” Byard said. “Matt Ryan has been doing it for a very long time. He’s a great quarterback. He doesn’t make a ton of mistakes.”
Since 2017, Byard’s 13 interceptions lead the NFL. In the season opener against the Browns, Byard picked off Baker Mayfield and returned the interception 28 yards in a 43-13 romp.
He knows that Ryan has six interceptions over the first three games of the season, but still has a healthy dose of respect for the Falcons’ signal-caller.
“He’s seen every coverage, so we are definitely going to have to do a great job with mixing and disguising coverages to give him different looks,” Byard said.
Ryan is familiar with Byard’s work.
“He’s a ballhawk,” Ryan said. “He does a great job of playing the ball in the air. He does a nice job when they ask him to come down and play run defense. More so than anything, he’s got a knack for finding the ball and getting the ball out.”
Byard believes the Titans’ secondary will face a stiff challenge.
“Julio Jones is one of the best receivers in the NFL,” Byard said. “He’s probably the most dangerous receiver when he has the ball in his hands, as you could see in the (Sunday) night game against the Eagles. Mohamed Sanu, a very good savvy slot receiver. Calvin Ridley is very explosive and runs very good routes.”
He broke down the Falcons rushing attack, too.
“Devonta Freeman, you can tell he’s healthy because he’s running just like he was running back when he was going to the Pro Bowls,” Byard said. “They are a very dangerous team, but we feel like it’s going to be an opportunity for us, especially as a secondary because we feel that we are a good unit as well. It’s going to be very fun to go out there and accept the challenge against the Falcons.”
Credit: JOHNNY CRAWFORD AJC
Credit: JOHNNY CRAWFORD AJC
Credit: Curtis Compton
Credit: Curtis Compton
Credit: Curtis Compton
Credit: Curtis Compton
Credit: Jason Getz
Credit: Jason Getz
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