NFL player saves family from burning car

TENNESSEE --- The title of "hero" is often thrown around freely in the world of sports. On Tuesday, Tennessee Titans linebacker Jonathan Willard truly earned that title.

The 6'2", 225-pound Willard reportedly saved a family from a burning car, according to David Hood of USA Today. The publication tweeted out the story.

Willard, who signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent out of Clemson after the 2013 NFL draft, told Hood that he spotted a car with black smoke coming out of it while driving from South Carolina to Tennessee for the Titans' upcoming training camp.

Sensing the danger that the woman, three children and dog were in, Willard reportedly sped up, flashed his brights and honked his horn in an attempt to catch the attention of the driver, finally getting her to pull over. From there, the linebacker sprung into action.

"When she pulled over, the car was really on fire at that point. The driver, she acted like she was in some kind of daze or something. She told me that she didn't stop because she didn't think it was her car that was on fire. Another guy stopped, and we managed to get the kids and the dog out and get them to safety, and then I finally got the woman out."

For more on this CNN story, click here.