Despite battling a significant elbow injury, Tennessee’s disruptive defensive tackle secures his spot among the league’s elite after a career-best season and a record-breaking contract extension.
The Tennessee Titans have one of the best players in the NFL on their roster.
That player is none other than Jeffery Simmons.
He entered the league in 2019 after being drafted in the first round out of Mississippi State. After his first two seasons in the NFL, he finally made his first Pro Bowl in 2021. He made the Pro Bowl again in 2022, but missed it the following season after missing time due to injury.
Simmons returned to the Pro Bowl in 2024 and made it again last season. The amazing thing was that he was playing injured last season.
Simmons shared in an interview this offseason that he had surgery in February to repair his elbow, which he couldn't fully extend and had to wear a brace for.
The defensive tackle put up his best season in 2025, finishing with 67 total tackles, 11 sacks and 17 TFLs. He did all of this without being able to fully extend his elbow by the way.
If that wasn't enough to convince you that Simmons is the best defensive tackle in the NFL, the Titans paid him like it. Tennessee signed him to a three-year, $105.9 million extension, making him a Titan until 2031, per Spotrac.
Simmons is now the highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL, surpassing the previous massive contract of Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones.
On Thursday, the NFL Top 100 list continued releasing its rankings. The list comes out annually and highlights the top 100 players in the league.
This year, the NFL has been releasing the list from Monday through Friday until training camp ends in late August.
Simmons came in at No. 83 on the list. In his interview, he talked about his playing style.
"I just try to be different, man, the way I play the game," Simmons said. "I try to play fast and violent."
Unfortunately for Simmons, he has been overlooked for part of his career since the Titans have been struggling as of late. The Titans went to the playoffs for the first three years of his NFL career but haven't been to the postseason since 2021.
Since 2022, Tennessee has posted a record of 19-49. The Titans are coming off another 3-14 season this year, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Robert Saleh is now the head coach, who is defensive-minded. The Titans also gave Simmons help this offseason, with the additions of Jermaine Johnson II, John Franklin-Myers and Keldric Faulk, among many others on the defensive line.
Simmons is a one-man wrecking crew, and it's good to see him get some recognition from around the league.
