X/@AdamSchefterBefore a long road trip, Jelly Roll gave an inspirational and motivational speech to the Tennessee Titans, sharing stories on perseverance, the community, and relationships. A native of Nashville, an unlikely story in the music business was told by him about how his journey from hardship to stardom is very much like professional football.
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Jelly Roll can be seen rallying the team in the locker room in a clip shared by NFL insider Adam Schefter. The man’s body art and gravelly voice demanded all attention he could muster to emphasize the need to connect when down away from home. The artist seemed quite confident in addressing the players directly, at times accentuating his points with arm gestures as he aligned personal growth with athletic development.
“About 300 days a year I would say I was not here,” Jelly Roll, speaking of his hard touring days, explained. “In buses, planes, trains, automobiles, walkin’, you name it, we did it. We’ve slept in a van too. And I learned early. That was where the magic was.” Jelly Roll explained that the relationships forged during travel accelerated his growth as a performer, which he sees are almost in parallel to growth in football.
The artist, who’s been very public about past problems with the law and addiction, connected his personal transformation with performance in sport: “I started becoming a better performer when I started becoming a better human.” That’s where he feels the lines between personal improvement and professional accomplishment blur. He mentioned that Titans like Jeffery Simmons and Harold Landry III are grinding hard in the offseason, a sign he’s noticed of a developing culture.
The message of redemption and perseverance, while received well by many, did ignite an interesting and lively reaction on social media feeds. One user said, “I’m so sick of this damn guy.” Another sarcastic jab remarked, “Seems like something a serious organization would do. Bring in an obese convict married to a prostitute for motivation.” These comments were just one aspect of the huge debate opened up due to Jelly Roll’s lightning-fast entry into mainstream acceptance and popularity despite his unconventional path.
Others weighed in more balanced, comparing him to Kid Rock, but giving Jelly Roll the edge for his focus on redemption and mental health. “While both blend rap, rock, and country with gritty pasts, Jelly Roll emphasizes redemption and mental health advocacy—earning him broader acclaim,” the commentary read, noting his unique position in today’s music industry.
The majority of responses were not negative. Some came to his defense and argued that “He has come a long way,” acknowledging the development of the artist. One commented on the artist’s physical development: “Glad to see that fat fck has lost some weight.” This was in reference to the singer’s highly publicized weight loss journey.
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— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 7, 2025
The aforementioned speech is just one facet of Jelly Roll’s wider influence growing beyond music into philanthropy and motivational speaking. His deep Nashville roots and continued outreach to local shelters and rehab centers made his address to the Titans even more meaningful: “This city needs help. It always has,” he said of his hometown. “The biggest acquisition we ever made as a city was the Tennessee Titans.”
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Whether or not the players are ever going to draw a shred of inspiration from the aforementioned words of Jelly Roll remains to be seen, but the unconventional motivational intervention certainly gave everyone something to talk about. Certainly, as the team started out on that road trip, the players would have had an awful lot to ponder from the man whose life story stands as proof that through second chances and hard work, really remarkable changes can happen—both on and off the field. He left them with a piece of advice that Y’all should “think about them relationships outside of here” because he really believes “just being a good husband will change your entire day on the field,” giving the players something very genuine to think about, which is rarely heard at a pep talk.
