rob bironas funeral

Amid the din of speculation surrounding Rob Bironas' expiry, his family, friends and teammates have gathered in Nashville to celebrate the one-time Tennessee Titan'south contributions every bit a philanthropist and family man.

Bironas, 36, died Saturday night in a one-vehicle accident after he hit several trees and landed upside down in a drainage culvert on Battery Lane. Calls to 911 have painted a menacing portrait of his terminal minutes, including multiple accounts that Bironas tried to run people off the road before the crash that killed him.

Coaches, teammates and friends had dissimilar kinds of memories every bit they walked somberly into the WoodlawnRoesch-Patton Funeral Domicile on Thompson Lane on Wednesday, embracing family members and whispering quietly to one another nether a articulate blue sky.

Onetime Titans Kerry Collins, Marc Mariani, Casey Cramer, Donnie Nickey and Tim Shaw attended the visitation, along with erstwhile Titans special teams autobus Alan Lowry. Jake Locker, Andy Levitre, Craig Stevens, Michael Griffin, Jason McCourty, Brett Kern and Swain Brinkley were amid the current Titans in that location.

Members from every facet of the Titans organization too came, including the lodge'southward marketing department, medical staff, preparation staff and equipment managers. The team's chaplain attended, as well every bit its cheerleader passenger vehicle.

Brinkley and Kern, who was Bironas' roommate on the route for five seasons, showed up dressed every bit Bironas did when he traveled, with a blazer, blueish jeans and Chuck Taylor sneakers.

"This was Rob right here," Kern said. "Some Chucks, some jeans and a blazer."

Brinkley said Bironas helped his career along.

"He was a large part of my life — and I wasn't very good coming in every bit a snapper — and if it wouldn't have been for him I probably wouldn't even be hither today. He has made a very influential mark on me also equally my family unit."

A video tribute to Bironas played on a television inside the funeral home. Flowers and pictures adorned the rooms inside.

Titan cornerback Jason McCourty remembered Bironas as a prankster who used to tweet photos of teammates sleeping on the team airplane.

"I remember a guy who was positive, a guy who was upbeat and always trying to bring a smile to his teammates effectually him," McCourty said.

"Information technology's just crazy. Less than a year agone he was on that team with us. He was taking the field with us, traveling with united states of america. To think a guy and then young and not far removed from being 1 of united states of america has passed away, it's tough because yous feel similar at any moment that could be (you). Y'all experience similar it could be one of your brothers that's passed away.

"It's tough to deal with, but you just have to know God has a plan and in that location will be some positive to come from information technology and you lot just take to believe in him."

A passion for kids

Bironas' family, in an obituary published Wednesday in The Tennessean, described a loving man who was dedicated and disciplined, traits that led to success on and off the field.

"In his mind he could silence a crowd, calm a air current, and deadening the game clock," his obituary read. "Rob studied his errors, accepted them, and never permit his mistakes on the field impact his mental game."

The bulk of the 1,591-word obituary focused on Bironas' dearest of family and desire to invest in his community. The Rob Bironas Fund, established through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee in 2008, donated tens of thousands to organizations with "children at the center of their mission."

Ane of those organizations was the Nashville Symphony, where Bironas served on the lath of directors for years. Symphony President and CEO Alan Valentine said Bironas helped the music education program flourish.

Equally a child, Bironas dabbled with several instruments only never establish his ground. Years subsequently, he wanted to help children go more exposure to music and instruments that could change their lives.

"Information technology's something he cared well-nigh a lot," Valentine said. "I think he had a eye of gold."

Valentine said news of Bironas' decease had rattled his staff. They knew Bironas equally someone focused on helping people meliorate themselves.

"Music and athletics both teach kids about lifelong learning," Valentine said. "Life's near the struggle to be improve, and I remember Rob really knew that."

It has been hard for Valentine to reconcile the alien reports about the crash with the man who became inconversable if a fan approached them during lunch at The Southern.

"None of that sounds like the Rob Bironas I knew," he said. "This guy was common salt of the earth."

'It'due south not him at all'

Kern, the Titans' punter, as well struggled to make sense of the reports as he prepared to visit with Bironas' family Midweek.

"It's not him at all. It's tough to hear everything coming out," Kern said. "I'm really trying non to pay attention to it because I want to honor him, the legacy that he had here — the human that he was, the male parent that he was and the husband that he was, the family guy that he was.

"So I want to honour that. A bunch of guys do. So the details volition take care of themselves, everything volition come out. (This week), information technology's just honoring Rob."

Kern, who plans to nourish the funeral Th, fought back tears equally he described his final conversation with Bironas, a 24-hour interval before he died.

"I talked to him on Friday because he had the conditioning with the Lions, and he was and then excited that information technology went well. I told him I was proud of him, and that's the last thing I told him," Kern said. "He was actually looking forrard to signing with another squad."

Kern said Bironas had been in a expert place emotionally afterwards his nuptials in June.

"He was Rob. I went over to his house considering he put up a new kick internet in his backyard, with turf. He was staying prepared, staying gear up. He texted me on Tuesday and said he was headed to Detroit, and texted me afterward proverb that it went well. He was in a not bad spot, and he was excited."

Titans passenger vehicle Ken Whisenhunt said it's too early on to know if the Titans volition honor Bironas with a helmet decal or a jersey patch. Bironas, who played nine seasons with the Titans (2005-2013), was released in March as the Titans' second-leading scorer with 1,032 points.

"I'm sure there will be a plan for that," Whisenhunt said. "Unfortunately I didn't actually know Rob that well, just our organization certainly recognizes his contributions and feels for his family unit."

Valentine dismissed what he called the "Monday morning quarterbacking and a lot of speculation" that has emerged almost Bironas' death. He said he hopes the former Titan will exist remembered for the adept things he did.

"He was a skilful guy," Valentine said, "and his life ought to be celebrated."

Staff author Nate Rau contributed to this report. Contact Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and on Twitter @Tamburintweets.

The Bironas funeral

Rob Bironas' memorial service will be held at ii:30 p.m. Th at Woodlawn Roesch-Patton Funeral Home, which is at 660 Thompson Lane.