Jeffery Simmons

Jeffery Lee Simmons Jr. was born July 28, 1997, in Macon, Mississippi. His upbringing was shaped by his close family and the rural Mississippi football culture, and he has been open about a 2016 pre-college incident in which he was seen on video assaulting a woman — a moment he has addressed publicly as the low point of his life and a catalyst for subsequent personal growth.

Simmons attended Noxubee County High School in Macon, Mississippi, where he was a top defensive line recruit. He signed with Mississippi State despite the public controversy and spent three seasons with the Bulldogs, earning first-team All-SEC honors and finishing as one of the most productive interior defenders in program history. A torn ACL in his final pre-draft workout complicated his 2019 draft stock but did not diminish his ability.

The Tennessee Titans selected Simmons 19th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. He has spent his entire career with the Titans and has developed into one of the most productive interior defensive linemen in the NFL, earning Pro Bowl selections and first-team All-Pro consideration.

Simmons has been a consistent double-digit sack threat from interior positions — a rare production at defensive tackle — and his combination of quickness, power, and football intelligence has made him the defensive cornerstone of the Titans franchise. His contract extension made him one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in NFL history.

His career résumé includes multiple Pro Bowl selections, first-team All-Pro honors, and status as one of the most productive interior defensive linemen of his generation.

Off the field, Simmons has been open about the 2016 incident as a pivotal moment in his life and has become a visible advocate for domestic violence awareness and young men's personal growth. He has supported charitable work in both his native Mississippi community and Nashville. He maintains endorsement partnerships with Nike and other brands. His path from the controversial 2016 incident through ACL recovery to elite NFL production has made him one of the more complex and ultimately inspiring stories at his position.