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Titans DT Making Case for DPOY

The Tennessee Titans are getting exactly what they need from their $94 million defensive tackle.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Sep 14, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) takes the field against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Sep 14, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) takes the field against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

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Tennessee Titans

Defense wins championships, or at least is what helped the Tennessee Titans win their first game of the year. Among their top defensive players was defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, a name that should come as no surprise. Tennessee gave that man $94 million for a reason, and now he's proving exactly why he's worth it.

Through five games, Simmons has made a case for Defensive Player of the Year. It's an award that no player can win in five games, but if Simmons' keeps up at this pace, there's no doubt he'll be in consideration.

The Titans posted a graphic on social media touting his success as he currently leads all defensive tackles in sacks (3.5), tackles for loss (6), solo tackles (16), and pressures (20). Simmons, who made quite an impact against the Arizona Cardinals, has been a one-man wrecking crew this season.

The 28-year-old racked up a career high 76 total tackles last season. Prior to 2024, he'd never had more than 54 in a season. Having missed a few games in each of the past few years, Simmons' '24 performance in 16 games was one to be remembered. Here in 2025, he's far from satisfied.

Drafted No. 19 in 2019, Simmons has spent all seven of his NFL seasons in Tennessee. The Titans know how much of a defensive priority he is, and without him, they could very well be 0-5. In their Week 5 matchup against the Cardinals, Simmons had a season high eight tackles and one and a half sacks. Coming into the game, he had just two sacks all year.

His Week 5 numbers certainly boosted his case for DPOY. Eight tackles is the most he's had in a game since December 22, 2024. The three-time Pro Bowler has never finished a game with double digit tackles, though he has finished with nine on a few occasions.

At Ole Miss, Simmons had just seven sacks in three seasons. Here in 2025, he's on pace to hit that number in just 10 games. There's no doubt the two time Second-team All-Pro continues to improve each and every year. Coming into the season, Tennessee even maneuvered his contract around to give Simmons a slight raise.

In Week 6, Simmons and company have a chance to wreak havoc on the struggling Las Vegas Raiders. QB Geno Smith has looked far from perfect, and Simmons presence is only going to make him feel even more pressured, the last thing a quarterback with nine interceptions in five games wants.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

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