Zac Taylor Celebrates Jeffery Simmons Trade by Calling Brother

A bombshell trade hit the NFL earlier this week when the Chicago Bears sent a massive haul of two first-round picks to the Tennessee Titans for All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.

It made the Bears' below-average defense much better, but it also gave the Cincinnati Bengals immediate relief, since they're playing the Titans and now won't face one of the NFL's best defensive linemen.

Bears offensive coordinator Press Taylor, the brother of Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, held a news conference Friday afternoon and fielded a question about Simmons' addition. Press Taylor said his big brother called him immediately after the news broke to celebrate. Press was confused until Zac reminded him that the Bengals were playing the Titans this week and now have a much easier game plan.

Simmons has been one of the few bright spots on a very bad Titans team that is 1-6 this season. He is coming off a career year in 2025, when he posted 11 sacks and 67 tackles, 39 of them solo. He has four sacks so far in 2026, and according to Next Gen Stats, he led all defensive tackles with 28 pressures through seven games.

Bengals center Ted Karras was also jubilant when talking to the Cincinnati media after Simmons was traded to the Bears, saying he had just saved himself multiple hours of anxiety on Sunday and lost sleep the night before.

Defensive tackles account for 4 1/2 of the 10 sacks the Bengals have allowed through six games this season, so not having to face Simmons not only makes the line's job easier but also removes a blind spot the Titans could have exploited.

Outside of that, the Bengals' offensive line has been superb through six games. Right tackle Amarius Mims has developed into an elite, All-Pro-level pass blocker and one of the most efficient, productive tackles in the NFL at keeping defensive linemen from pressuring his quarterback, Joe Burrow.

Now, with the Titans stretched thin on the defensive line, they will lean more on Jermaine Johnson II, John Franklin-Myers, Solomon Thomas and others. The reaction to Simmons being traded was similar to how the rest of the AFC North reacted when the Cleveland Browns traded Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams. Not having to play elite players always relieves pressure. Expect Cincinnati's passing attack to play with some confidence Sunday as the Bengals try to improve to 5-2 and get a shot at first place in the AFC North.