Titans’ Robert Saleh already has a massive fan in Jeffery Simmons

The Tennessee Titans changed the course of their organization by hiring Robert Saleh as their next head coach. At least one Titan is over the moon with Tennessee’s decision.

Saleh is coming to the Titans as a defensive-minded head coach. For defensive tackle and team leader Jeffery Simmons, he’s excited to work with someone who knows how to coax the best out of any defense he’s around, via NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

“I was pretty pumped,” Simmons said when he found out about the Saleh hiring. “To have a defensive head coach, I had that before with Vrabel and now Saleh, that excites the hell out of me.”

#Titans All-Pro DT Jeffery Simmons tells me he is PUMPED to have Robert Saleh as his new head coach.

And how about this: Simmons told Saleh to come to Tennessee when they played each other in Week 15!

Full episode drops today! https://t.co/9hjhYCjkh7 pic.twitter.com/JOv3NIta3A

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 21, 2026

Simmons and the Titans took on Saleh in Week 15, as he was defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. The defensive tackle was impressed with what he saw and jokingly asked if Saleh would join the Titans. Funny how life works out sometimes.

“Told me I was a hell of a player,” Simmons said. “I went up at the end as said, ‘You’re going to be in Tennessee next year, right?’ And it’s crazy that it’s actually happened. To see his energy on the sidelines, that’s contagious. To have that from a head coach now, I want to celebrate with my head coach, I want to see that fieriness on the sideline. That’s what excites me.”

Saleh will need to prove himself as a head coach after his 20-36 run with the New York Jets. However, no one is questioning his defensive acumen. Furthermore, his emotion on the sideline and ability to lead clearly resonated with the Titans.

Now, Saleh will have quite the chess piece to work with in Simmons. The defensive tackle has made the Pro Bowl the last two seasons and four times overall. He’s added a pair of All-Pro nominations while putting up 376 tackles, 87 quarterback hits and 42.5 sacks over his seven years in the league.

Tennessee’s new head coach will have quite the mountain to climb to turn the franchise around. But at least Simmons is confident in his ability to do so.

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