Tennessee Titans star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was ejected from practice on August 4, 2026, after throwing a punch during a training camp skirmish. Head coach Robert Saleh defended the aggressive culture of his trenches while enforcing a strict zero-tolerance policy for punches.
Training camp tempers flared on the second day of padded practice at the Vanderbilt Health Football Center, when an 11-on-11 team period boiled over into a full-scale offensive and defensive line scrum. The friction began when right tackle JC Latham and Simmons tangled after a play, leading to a pileup where Simmons’ helmet was ripped off. In the ensuing fracas, Simmons threw a punch before assistant defensive line coach Tanzel Smart pulled him away from the melee.
He ejected his highest-paid defender from the session, making an unambiguous statement to the roster about discipline and control.
Robert Saleh Enforces Strict In-Game Standards on the Practice Field
Rather than sending his star player straight to the locker room, Saleh directed Simmons to a side field to continue individual positional work with coaches so he did not lose his scheduled physical conditioning reps. The head coach explained that training camp infractions must carry the exact same weight as regular-season penalties.
Saleh paused the entire practice session briefly following the incident to gather his players and address the group.
“It’s the second day of pads. It’s hot. It’s muggy. You’re expecting it, especially with the way the O-line and D-line get after it. It’s just a reminder that we’ve got work to do. It’s OK. I’ve got brothers. We fight all the time, but at the end of the day, we still take care of one another, make sure we’re getting the work done we need to get.”
Robert Saleh, Head Coach via CBS Sports
Balancing Physicality and Discipline in a New Era
Known for building defenses that dominate the line of scrimmage with a relentless four-man pass rush, Saleh relies on interior disruptors who play on the edge of legality.
.jpg?w=1120&h=630 "Photo: Bleacherreport")
Simmons, who signed a massive three-year, $105.8 million contract extension in June 2025, is the centerpiece of that defensive front. Coming off a 2025 campaign where he earned a first-team All-Pro selection and made his fourth Pro Bowl, Simmons brings immense competitive fire to the field.
That aggression is a double-edged sword. Saleh noted that while he welcomes the competitive edge from his trench players, the team must develop the discipline to channel that violence legally during games rather than handing opponents unearned yardage.
“It’s just the nature of who we’re going to be. But we’ve got to be disciplined enough to make sure that we always find our way back to the huddle without giving the other team freebies.”
Robert Saleh, Head Coach via Bleacherreport
Familiar Territory for a Generation-Defining Defensive Tackle
During the 2024 training camp, Simmons and JC Latham also found themselves at the center of a padded practice fight. While previous coaching regimes chose not to remove him from the field for similar infractions, Saleh’s zero-tolerance enforcement establishes a firm new boundary for the roster.
The coaching staff’s management of Simmons extends beyond discipline. Under Saleh’s defensive philosophy, interior linemen are heavily rotated to keep them fresh, a shift from previous seasons where Simmons regularly played upwards of 50 snaps per game. By utilizing Simmons more selectively on high-leverage passing downs—where he generated one quarterback pressure every 4.8 third-down rush snaps in 2025—the Titans hope to maximize his productivity while curbing wear and tear over the course of the 2026 season.
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