Jeffery Simmons’ standout play a bright spot in Titans’ struggling start

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee coach Brian Callahan can’t praise Jeffery Simmons enough for how the three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle is playing to start this season.

Simmons’ play is easy to miss after the Titans opened the season with a four-game skid before beating Arizona last Sunday.

Yet Simmons has been playing with nose tackle T’Vondre Sweat out since the opener and fighting through double teams to wreak havoc.

“The way that Jeff’s playing right now, as I’ve said multiple times, is about as good as anybody in football,” Callahan said, “and he continues to set the standard for what we’re looking for from our football team, from an energy and effort perspective, and then is making a ton of plays.”

The 19th pick overall in 2019 joins safety Amani Hooker as the Titans’ longest-tenured players. Simmons leads the team with 3 1/2 sacks, six tackles for loss and 20 quarterback pressures. He’s fourth in tackles for Tennessee (1-4), which visits the Las Vegas Raiders (1-4) on Sunday.

Raiders coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday that Simmons is really powerful and quick.

“He’s got a play-making ability about him that separates him from the crowd,” Carroll said. “That’s why we all know about him. It’s why you asked about him first.”

He’s a terrific player, so there’s a number of things that we have to do to keep him from being a big factor

in the game.”

The tackle spent the offseason refining his habits for his seventh NFL season. He lost about 20 pounds by the end of the offseason program in June looking to be faster after having just five sacks in 2024 for his fewest in a season since 2020.

Simmons is sticking to the diet change that helped him shed some weight, eating more turmeric and other items to help with inflammation and energy. He credits that consistency with his strong performance to start this season.

“I have been recovering much faster after games,” Simmons said. “I’m feeling good going into these games.”

The 6-foot-4 tackle listed at 305 pounds is playing like he feels. He had a season-high eight tackles last week, including 1 1/2 sacks.

He showed off his speed Sept. 28 in a loss at Houston. Simmons burst past the Texans center and sacked C.J. Stroud in just 2.09 seconds — the fastest sack in the NFL over the past two seasons. He crossed the line of scrimmage in just 0.32 seconds after the snap for the fastest by a defensive tackle this season.

Simmons also is among four defensive tackles in the NFL over the past five seasons to have at least 20 tackles, 3 1/5 sacks and six tackles for loss within the first five games of a season. The others include Javon Hargrave (2021), Aaron Donald (2022) and Ed Oliver (2023).

Hooker always thinks Simmons plays great from his perspective at the back end of the defense.

“It’s just his preparation, his experience throughout the years,” Hooker said of Simmons’ start. “His preparation in the offseason, obviously whatever he was doing is transitioning to the in-season great. He’s been playing great.”

Roster move

The Titans signed K Matthew Wright to the practice squad. Joey Slye made the winning field goal last week, but was wide right on an extra point in Arizona. Slye started the season making his first 10 field goals, but now is 13 of 17.

Slye was among a handful of Titans who did not practice Wednesday with the team returning late Sunday night from Arizona. The others included CB L’Jarius Sneed, RB Tony Pollard, WR Tyler Lockett, CB Marcus Harris, WR Van Jefferson, OL Blake Hance, OLB Arden Key and DL James Lynch.

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