Rest in Peace, Matt.

I found him like a lot of Titans Twitter found him. His Tweets and memes were funny and absurd and snarky. Just trying to get a handle on his humor was a way to get to know him. And then you realize he’s all of the above and with absolute conviction. Whether you agreed or not, or whether you laughed or cringed, Matt Neely shined the right kind of light in all the right places to keep things fun online. He made me a better fan.

Since he passed, I’ve gone back to re-read our DM exchanges. In DM’s, people are a little more honest. A little less guarded. Matt was a vulnerable guy who wore his heart on his digital sleeve. He took nothing and everything serious all at once. Matt trolled and poked and prodded. He orchestrated the vibe of Titans fandom online and played it like a drum. He did it so well he carved a job out of it.

Entrepreneurs who win do so because they’re passionate. Matt Neely, a member of the Titans Hall of Fans, was not without passion for the team. Taylor Lewan and Will Compton’s Bussin’ with the Boys was always where Matt was going to be. His devotion to the brand and spirit of the Titans leading the way. And he did it just by being himself, whether you liked it or not. I never told him this, but I’ve always done my job with a Matt Neely voice chirping in the back of my head.

I’m sensitive to the fan experience. My job is all about brand unity and hype and excitement. But that’s all meaningless if it’s with anything less than one hundred percent sincerity, especially in football. Every time I hop on camera, the question remains, “Would Matt Neely approve of this?”.

As fans of football and the Tennessee Titans, we’re all here because of what happens between the whistles. But it’s the show off the field and conversation later for which we stick around. Matt decorated the narrative in his unique way. That drumbeat won’t sound the same without him, but you know he wants it to go on and go on louder.

Titan Up Forever, Matt Neely. You will always be missed. #ForTheBoy