Golden Tate a Tennessee Titan? 'I definitely would have done it'

Golden Tate as a Tennessee Titan?

The former Pope John Paul II three-sport athlete and current New York Giants wide receiver would have been receptive to it.

Tate's name was mentioned in trade rumors during the 2018 season when he was with the Detroit Lions. The wide receiver was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and then signed with the Giants in the offseason.

"I was definitely to coming back home and playing in front of the home crowd and doing great things in the community," Tate said. "I definitely would have done it. It just didn't happen that way.

"That's always kind of been a dream to play for the home team. That would be fun. We'll see what happens after the four-year contract that I have."

Tate, 30, is the guest speaker at the fourth annual Tennessean Sports Awards presented by Farm Bureau Health Plans on May 31 at Music City Center.

Tate played baseball and ran track and field along with football during his high school career. He was selected twice in the MLB Draft – once after his senior year of high school and again after his junior year at Notre Dame. He also played baseball at Notre Dame until after his sophomore year.

"Sports has always been my place of comfort," Tate said. "It's where I get away from whatever is going on at school or at home or in the neighborhood.

"It was a stress reliever for me. I was always pretty good at most sports. You tend to gravitate to things you are good at. I wasn't going to be the guy hanging out at the movies, or hanging out with my buddies unless it was on the football field, or on the gym or on the baseball field. I didn't mind it. That's where I liked it."

He was a two-time Tennessee Titans Mr. Football winner at JPII while also playing baseball and running in track. He had 1,413 rushing yards, 510 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior before going to Notre Dame.

Tate was named one of Nashville's 50 greatest high school football players in 2018 by the Tennessean. He said life was easier during his prep days.

"The simple life," Tate said. "You didn't have stuff to worry about. You didn't have bills.

"You didn't have anything to worry about except making good grades and, in my case, trying to earn a scholarship to go to college."

At Notre Dame, Tate was a consensus All-American and a Biletnikoff Award winner his junior season before forgoing his senior season for the 2010 NFL Draft, where he was picked by the Seahawks in the second round with the 60th overall pick.

Headed to New York

The Giants are Tate's fourth team in his nine-year pro career.

He helped Seattle win a Super Bowl in 2013 before signing with the Lions in 2014. He was traded to Philadelphia during the 2018 season.

And now he's in New York, where the pressure will be at an all-time high.

Tate has 611 career receptions for 7,214 yards and 38 receiving touchdowns.

"This is a big, big, big city," Tate said. "That's kind of exciting. I'm excited for my family to experience that."

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Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com.