Wednesday Injury Report: Simmons Sits Out With Knee Injury

Defensive tackle played through an ankle issue earlier in the year and played one of his best games.

NASHVILLE – From the moment they selected him with the 19th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans personnel have pointed to Jeffery Simmons’ recuperative powers, which they believe are above average.

To this point, there has been little – if any – evidence to contradict that notion.

Thus, there was no reason Wednesday for the Titans or their fans to panic about the fact that the second-year defensive tackle was one of six players for Tennessee who did not practice Wednesday. Simmons has been widely regarded as Tennessee’s best player on defense this season. He is second on the team with three sacks and 11 quarterback pressures. He has a team-leading two fumble recoveries in addition to 37 tackles, one forced fumble and five passes defensed.

A knee injury kept him out of the day’s work.

The only other time this season Simmons was on the injury report was Week 9 ahead of the game against Chicago.

Then, Simmons did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday and was limited on Friday due to an ankle issue but still played against the Bears and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week. He made three tackles, forced one fumble, recovered another and broke up a pass. Cornerback Desmond King returned the fumble Simmons forced 63 yards for a touchdown and gave the Titans a 17-point third-quarter lead.

As a rookie, of course, he made his NFL debut in mid-October, eight months after reconstructive knee surgery. He played nine of the final 10 games of the regular season and all three in the playoffs.

Simmons has missed one game this season (Week 5 against Buffalo) because he was on the COVID-19 reserve list.

The complete Titans injury report for Wednesday:

TENNESSEE

Did not practice: TE Anthony Firkser (not injury related), RB D’Onta Foreman (knee), CB Adoreé Jackson (knee), G Rodger Saffold (ankle), DT Jeffery Simmons (knee) and TE Jonnu Smith (knee). Limited participation: T Dennis Kelly (knee). Full participation: WR Adam Humphries (concussion) and TE MyCole Pruitt (knee).

CLEVELAND

Did not practice: CB Denzel Ward (calf). Limited participation: T Jack Conklin (knee), DT Jordan Elliott (knee), C Nick Harris (ankle), RB Kareem Hunt (thigh), S Sheldrick Redwine (knee), DT Vincent Taylor (knee), G Wyatt Teller (calf) and C J.C. Tretter (knee). Full participation: WR Jarvis Landry (knee).