Latest on Ryan Tannehill's Contract Incentives Ahead of Titans vs. Chiefs

Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has reportedly earned nearly $3.5 million in contract incentives this season due to his performance.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the latest details on Tannehill's contract ahead of the Titans' AFC Championship Game matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Tannehill's one-year contract paid him a base of $2 million with a chance to earn a few million more in performance-based incentives. He was initially acquired to back up Marcus Mariota, who entered 2019 with a tenuous grip on the starting role. 

"It was really hard. Nobody likes to sit on the bench. I wanted to be playing. I wanted to be competing. Everything is different when you're not in the starting position," Tannehill told ESPN's Cameron Wolfe. "That was a big change for me. There was a lot of biting your tongue and swallowing your pride. It was definitely an adjustment. But I just tried to make the best of the situation I was given, play my role and be a good teammate."

The Titans benched Mariota after he made six starts, and Tannehill emerged as one of the season's most pleasant surprises. Considered a first-round bust himself, Tannehill realized his promise in one fell swoop, throwing for 2,742 yards and 22 touchdowns against six interceptions while leading the NFL in passer rating (117.5).

Tennessee's run to the AFC Championship Game has been an even bigger surprise, with Tannehill playing the role of capable game manager while Derrick Henry rushes at a record-setting pace. 

The Titans are widely expected to bring Tannehill back next season, either via a franchise tag or a long-term contract. Regardless, one season after garnering the interest of a mid-level backup, Tannehill is looking at a deal in 2020 that will likely pay him more than 10 times his base from this season.