Former Dolphins White Laremy Tunsil Jersey , Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas retires from the NFL After being released by the Miami Dolphins back in March, Julius Thomas is officially hanging up his cleats. one that started as a fourth-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos back in 2011. While in Denver, Thomas emerged as one of the league’s most dangerous tight ends, especially in the red zone. During the 2013 and 2014 seasons, he accumulated a whopping 24 touchdowns, over 1,200 receiving yards, and 108 receptions while catching passes from Peyton Manning under then-offensive coordinator Adam Gase.Thomas turned that production into a five-year, $46 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where injuries and poor quarterback play from Blake Bortles brought his numbers down to a sputtering low. After the 2016 season Minkah Fitzpatrick Jersey , the Jaguars top brass decided they’d overpaid for Thomas long enough and traded him to the Dolphins for a seventh-round draft pick.In Miami, the former Pro Bowler signed a new two-year contract. Both Thomas and Dolphins fans were hoping that being reunited with now-head coach Adam Gase would be enough to rekindle that spark that led Thomas to being a star in Denver. Unfortunately a combination of nagging injuries and horrendous quarterbacking from Jay Cutler proved to be insufficient fuel, and Thomas failed to become a useful weapon in Miami’s offense. The veteran looked slow on the field and was simply outmatched by more athletic defenders. Only on the hook for $1 million in guarantees, the team cut him loose this offseason.Thomas released a statement through The Players’ Tribune discussing his reasons for walking away from the game he’s played over the past seven years. “The ability to assist with the latest research being done on brain trauma and the pursuit to better understand CTE. To study it not just from the perspective of a psychologist or a clinician, but also as a person who has played for several years at the highest level, is something that excites me,” he wrote. “It fills me with a sense of purpose. It’s a way to help while growing intellectually that I had been searching for. I know I have so much to learn, but that’s what I’m most looking forward to.”Thomas is hoping that by making an impact, he can cement his legacy beyond football. “I believe helping others is what I’m supposed to be doing at this point in my life. Hopefully I can help by encouraging more of my peers to connect with who they are outside of the game. If ultimately that’s what I’m remembered for, I’d be very thankful.” It's easy to wonder which quarterback will make the biggest impact on Sunday's game between the Titans and Dolphins.Ryan Tannehill?Marcus Mariota?Luke Falk?Yes, Falk, a fourth-string rookie who won't even play, has altered preparations by both teams. Miami signed him last week after he was released by Tennessee on cutdown day Authentic T.J. McDonald Jersey , and the Dolphins are sure to pick his brain about the Titans' scheme under rookie coach Mike Vrabel.All of which adds lends another layer of unpredictability to the season opener.Here are things to know about two teams who didn't excite preseason prognosticators:QB MATCHUPRyan Tannehill returns after missing the Dolphins' past 20 games, and says he'll be ready rather than rusty. He's coming off reconstructive knee surgery that wiped out his entire 2017 season, and says he never doubted he would be ready for the 2018 opener."I always felt confident that this would be where we ended up," he said. "It's finally here and I'm ready to go."While Tannehill has never played in the postseason, counterpart Marcus Mariota is trying to become the first quarterback to lead the Titans to the playoffs in back-to-back years since Steve McNair in 2002-03.That will require proving wrong the oddsmakers who predict Tennessee will win eight games. Miami, led by third-year coach Adam Gase, is widely projected to repeat last year's 6-10 record.THE OTHER QBWhile Falk will be able to provide the Dolphins some insight into Sunday's matchup, Vrabel says it could have been worse.The Titans' new coach wanted to install the entire offense during training camp, but offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur — mindful the team would have to waive some players — talked him out of it."He wanted to hold some stuff," Vrabel said. "I said, 'OK, I'll defer to you on this one.' As it turns out, he was kind of right. There'll be some things that I'm sure Luke can give them. But then again Youth Raekwon McMillan Jersey , I am glad that Matt was adamant about holding some stuff until cutdown day. I think he had been burned by some of that stuff in the past."The Dolphins kept some of their playbook under wraps during the preseason, too. They're expected to have packages for veteran newcomer Albert Wilson and rookie tight end Mike Gesicki that they didn't show in exhibition games."There were a few plays going into Week 3 that Gase wanted to run," Tannehill said with a smile. "I said, 'Hey, those are great plays. Let's save those.' We have some things that we haven't shown that we're excited about."HOMECOMINGNFL active rushing leader Frank Gore will make his Dolphins debut, and at 35 he's thrilled to return to South Florida, where he was born and raised and starred for the Miami Hurricanes.Gore will play in his 113th consecutive game, and he needs 76 yards to become fourth-leading rusher in league history.HEY, I KNOW YOUMiami and Tennessee added former Patriots teammates during the offseason. Receiver Danny Amendola joined the Dolphins, while the Titans acquired cornerback Malcolm Butler. The Titans' other starting cornerback, Logan Ryan, is another Amendola friend and former Patriots teammate.Tennessee's secondary also includes All-Pro safety Kevin Byard and cornerback Adoree Jackson, who started every game as a rookie last year."We're super excited to see what we've got http://www.dolphinsauthorizedshops.com/ … inn-jersey ," Ryan said. "It's the most excited I've been to start a season off."STREAKING IN TENNESSEEThe Titans have won five consecutive road openers, the NFL's longest such streak. Three of those came in season openers. The streak includes three coaches, and three of the victories came by 16 points or more, including last year's 37-16 victory at Jacksonville in Week 2."The mindset is to win," linebacker Brian Orakpo said. "I mean, it's point blank, period, win. Win ballgames. Take it week by week and win, no matter if it's 50-49 or 3-0."Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: ://Steve_Wine