Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons was one of many players who exited the Week 13 contest against the Indianapolis Colts early.
Simmons suffered a knee injury in the third quarter, which caused a brief exit before he returned. Unfortunately, Simmons didn’t last long and was pulled from the game for good just plays later.
On Monday, head coach Mike Vrabel revealed that not only would Simmons miss the Week 14 contest against the Miami Dolphins, the star defender would also miss multiple games.
“I think he really did everything that he could and even made a play,” Vrabel said, per Jim Wyatt. “He just wasn’t going to be able to do anything. And if you can’t protect yourself out there, nobody wants to put a player in harm’s risk. We’re going to trust Jeff to say when he can go and when he can’t.”
The extent of Simmons’ injury is unknown, but the good news is it isn’t serious. ESPN’s Turron Davenport added this isn’t the same knee that Simmons had surgically repaired prior to his being drafted in 2019.
#Titans HC Mike Vrabel also said Jeffery Simmons will be out a couple of weeks. Simmons had an MRI today on his right knee. *Note this isn't the same knee Simmons injured leading up to the draft.
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) December 4, 2023
It goes without saying how big of a blow the loss of Simmons will be to a Titans defense that has struggled, even with him on the field.
Making matters worse, Tennessee is staring down the barrel of a brutal matchup with the league’s best offense. Miami ranks first in total yards, passing yards and points, and second in rushing yards.
The Titans should just shut Simmons down for the rest of the season and not risk any further injury. After all, there is zero shot at the playoffs and losing more games in order to improve draft position would be ideal. Not having Big Jeff on the field will go a long way toward helping that cause.
