Tennessee defensive back Johnathan Cyprien has missed the entire season following knee surgery, his latest setback since joining the Titans.

-- Ap Photo/Mark Humphrey

Almost any professional football player who has done time on injured reserve will tell you that it is a very lonely place to be. Players whose seasons have been ended prematurely by injuries often wind up being detached from the rest of the team as their priorities shift from getting ready for games to rehabbing from the injury or surgery and just hoping to get back to playing football once again.

That was the case for Tennessee Titans safety Johnathan Cyprien, whose season unfortunately ended in August before it ever began, thanks to a torn knee ligament (ACL) in a non-contact incident.

Cyprien, a sixth-year player from Florida International, signed with the Titans as a free agent two years ago. He missed nearly half of last season with a hamstring injury suffered in the season opener.

But Cyprien says he is doing his best to stay involved as much as possible and is even working on some outside endeavors that he hopes will prepare him for life after football.

“I try to be involved as much as I can,” Cyprien says. “One way is socially here in the locker room while I’m training and also walking into the meeting room and knowing what the game plan is.

“I love Coach (Dean) Pees and how he delivers the game plan to the guys. Even though I’m not playing, I can still learn, even though I’m on Year 6 from how we do things around here.”

Cyprien has even taken on the role of de facto assistant coach at times, offering tips and advice he picks up from watching film.

He has even gone on a couple of road trips with the Titans to stay involved and close to his teammates, though he stayed behind last week when the Titans traveled abroad to London.

“I do some film watching when I’m in the meeting room on my own and just bring that to the guys individually most of the time,” Cyprien says. “I tell guys, ‘I’m seeing this’ or ‘I think if you do this, it’ll work out a little bit better for you.’”

Still, he admits that it’s nothing like playing. And the loneliness of being away from the playing field does take its toll.

“For sure, it is (lonely),” Cyprien says. “But I find myself keeping busy, as far as some things business-wise.”

In that regard, Cyprien is using the time away from playing to begin the process to becoming a real estate agent. He hasn’t decided exactly yet where he will try and obtain the license, but says he’s like to reach sooner rather than later.

“I’ve always been into real estate, and I’m looking into that in this area, the Miami area and even the Jacksonville area, where I started (in the NFL),” Cyprien says. “I definitely am planning on knocking it out while I have the time. It doesn’t take as long as I thought it did. You can go get it done in as quick as six weeks.”

As for the process, Cyprien is seeking advice and readying himself for the exam.

“You’ve got to study for it, and then you take the test whenever you’re ready,” he explains. “I’ve talked to some people about exactly how I want to do it and where I want to do it.”

Terry McCormick covers the Titans for TitanInsider.com