Calvin Ridley said it's 'chess not checkers' in decision to sign with Titans over Jaguars

New Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley is making no apologies for agreeing to his blockbuster free agent deal on Wednesday.

While the Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly wanted to keep Ridley after he played well for them for a season, but he’ll instead head up to Nashville to join the reworked Titans under new head coach Brian Callahan and rising quarterback Will Levis to the tune of four years and $92 million.

After news of Ridley’s decision broke, the veteran wide receiver immediately took to social media to both explain his take on the deal and defend the lucrative contract that Tennessee gave him.

First, Ridley basically acknowledged how the deal played out to where he got paid handsomely by an AFC South rival after potentially re-signing with the Jaguars. “Chess not checkers,” Ridley quipped.

Chess not checkers love all Ridley

— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 13, 2024

Second, Ridley responded to someone saying that he earned too much money on his new deal by, understandably, saying that he got the right amount.

Naw the right amount

— CALVIN RIDLEY (@CalvinRidley1) March 13, 2024

Ridley’s agent, David Mulugheta, also shared a photo of the wide receiver celebrating the news of landing his major new contract with the Titans.

The face you make when you hear about the bag you getting! @CalvinRidley1 pic.twitter.com/7vD5fgzTTP

— David Mulugheta (@DavidMulugheta) March 13, 2024

You never really know how these free agent negotiations go until the deals are agreed on between both parties, and it looks like Ridley and his team played the system like a fiddle and landed the best deal possible.

For the Jaguars, it’s a tough lesson. Sometimes, it really is chess and not checkers.