Titans' Jeffery Simmons Gets Majorly Disrespected by NFL's Top 100

You've read that correctly – No. 83 is not a typo, folks!

Simmons, who recently became the highest-paid defensive tackle in league history, is coming off the best season of his career. He produced 17 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three pass deflections. That's not a "back third of the list" resume. That's a guy who wrecks game plans for a living.

How the NFL Top 100 Is Ranked

Titans first round NFL draft pick Jeffery Simmons poses for portrait at Saint Thomas Sports Park Friday, April 26, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn. Nas Titans Jeffrey Simmons 012 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The NFL Top 100 is voted on by the players themselves.

NFL.com noted: "The 'NFL Top 100' -- voted on by the players themselves -- reveal is underway on X! Two players will be revealed at 10 a.m. ET and 11 a.m. ET daily Monday through Friday from June 22-Aug. 21, before one Top 10 player is unveiled each weekday beginning at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Sept. 4."

So, this is a peer-voted list — players ranking players — which is exactly why an 83rd-place slot for a first-team All-Pro stings a little differently. It's not media; it's the guys lining up across from him.

Today's Reveal (Nos. 90–83)

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) catches a pass against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 15, 2024, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Here's the full group unveiled in the article Simmons was part of:

90 — Derrick Brown, Panthers, DT: 17 games, 73 tackles, 5 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 FF
89 — Kyren Williams, Rams, RB: 259 att, 1,252 rush yards, 4.8 YPC, 10 rush TD, 36 rec, 281 rec yards, 3 rec TD
88 — Jack Campbell, Lions, LB: 176 tackles, 9 TFL, 5 sacks, 2 FR
87 — Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers, WR: 70 rec, 1,014 rec yards, 14.5 YPR, 7 rec TD
86 — Tuli Tuipulotu, Chargers, LB: 49 tackles, 20 TFL, 13 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR
85 — Brock Purdy, 49ers, QB: 2,167 pass yards, 20 pass TD, 10 INT, 147 rush yards, 3 rush TD (9 games)
84 — Byron Young, Rams, LB: 82 tackles, 12 TFL, 12 sacks
83 — Jeffery Simmons, Titans, DT: 67 tackles, 17 TFL, 11 sacks, 3 FF, 3 PD

Why NFL.com Ranked Jeffery Simmons No. 83

Give credit where it's due — the write-up itself was glowing.

NFL.com called Simmons "Tennessee's most terrifying defender" and noted he finished as PFF's top-ranked interior lineman in the pass rush, logged his first double-digit sack campaign, and finally earned first-team All-Pro honors. The blurb also noted that Simmons led all defensive tackles with 60 pressures and 26 quick pressures last season.

83 my ass…there weren’t 82 players better than Jeffery Simmons last year‼️ Somebody bumped their head… https://t.co/F7kngFxann
— keith bulluck (@kbull53) July 2, 2026

So here's my question — if that's the scouting report, how does he land at 83? You don't write a paragraph like that about the 83rd-best player in football.

The Internet Is Right for Once

Titans fans, analysts, and NFL legends rightfully dumbfounded by Simmons' ranking.

Let me get this straight. There’s 62 players that made the All-Pro teams. Jeffery Simmons was First team so 1 of 31 but somehow he was the 83rd best player of 2025. When will the disrespect end? https://t.co/NvJcIxt7yO
— KJ 💂🏾‍♀️💰📶 (@officialkj_901) July 2, 2026

Simmons is arguably the best defensive player in the AFC and, at the very least, a top-three interior defender in the entire sport. I'm not here to tell you he's a top-10 or even top-20 overall player — the quarterback position is too valuable to ignore, and I'll be honest about that. But top 50? Comfortably. And I still feel like I'm being conservative.

What More Does He Have to Do?

Here's the part that grinds my gears. The man has been double-teamed year after year and keeps producing anyway.

42.5 career sacks
Hasn't dipped below five sacks in any of his last five seasons
Career-high 13.9% pressure rate last year
First-team All-Pro, four-time Pro Bowler

Any way you slice it, No. 83 doesn't compute. There simply are not 82 better professional football players than Jeffery Simmons.

Just Another Chip on the Shoulder

This is starting to feel familiar for Tennessee. When the universe throws something ugly at the wall, it usually sticks to the Titans. I understand the team has been among the league's worst the last couple of seasons — nobody's disputing the record. But the standings shouldn't erase what Jeffery Simmons has meant to this organization, especially after the year he just put together.

Now Robert Saleh's in town, and NFL.com itself flagged what that could unlock. If 83 is the disrespect they want to hand him, fine. Simmons has never needed the validation to go wreck a backfield, and he'll have a chance to attack at will this season under a new scheme.

Simmons said he likes to play with violence, and perhaps he'll have even more pep in his step come September.

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