There were plenty of mixed emotions throughout the Tennessee Titans fan base when the team selected former Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons with the No. 19 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Shortly after the announcement was made, ESPN showed footage of a 2016 incident which showed Simmons involved in an altercation in which he punched a woman.
To give a bit more context, Simmons has stated the woman was in a fight with his sister and he intervened.
While this doesn’t justify Simmons’ actions, it does put the situation in a bit more context.
The lineman was found guilty of malicious mischief and pleaded no contest to simple assault. He was held responsible for paying fines and restitution for the woman’s medical bills.
Titans general manager Jon Robinson was already prepared to field questions on the incident, and did so when he addressed the media after the pick, telling reporters the team had “done extensive research” on him.
“There’s going to be questions about the video,” he said. “Jeffery made a mistake. We talked extensively about that with him. We talked with numerous people that have been a part of his life. I can’t tell you how many people spoke glowingly about him and his time at Mississippi State.”
Simmons realizes his mistake, and is ready to move forward from the past and show people who he really is.
“I have so much passion,” Simmons said on a conference call. “When I step on the field, it’s going to show. When you have that energy, everyone’s going to come up with you. … They can trust me. They can depend on me. I won’t let them down.”
