After suffering a tough loss to the New York Jets in Week 1, Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons outlined a clear defensive strategy for their upcoming Week 2 matchup. He told reporters that the key to stopping the Philadelphia Eagles was to make quarterback Jalen Hurts one-dimensional and force him to “play quarterback.”

Simmons' comments quickly gained attention, setting the stage for an intense showdown at Nissan Stadium. Following a hard-fought contest, Jalen Hurts made sure to respond to the trash talk directly after showcasing his late-game heroics. As reported by Dave Zangaro on X, Hurts coldly acknowledged Simmons' remarks, saying, “I’m aware of it,” while recalling the comments about forcing him to throw the ball. Amplifying this postgame exchange, Ari Meirov reported that after Simmons asserted that the way to defend Hurts was to make him “play quarterback,” Hurts sought him out after the final whistle to deliver a pointed message: “You started that sh*t. I had to finish.”

#Titans DT Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts to Simmons after today's game: “You started that shit. I had to finish.”

(📽️ @NFLonFOX) https://t.co/NOnyPr3fmZ pic.twitter.com/6EEAFAsWDi

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 20, 2026

This fiery exchange highlighted how comments intended for bulletin boards can motivate a team. However, some of Philadelphia's veteran leaders chose to take the high road leading up to the game. Offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, serving as one of the emotional anchors of the locker room, dismissed the external noise entirely. As quoted by The Athletic's Zach Berman, Mailata stated, “I don't pay attention to that stuff. That's clickbait. That's what you guys get paid for. I only care about everyone in this locker room. This locker room is all I give a damn about.”

In the end, Hurts backed up his teammate's sentiment with a stellar performance, effectively silencing the critics.