Jeffery Simmons Opens up About Being 'Very Emotional' During Games

Former Mississippi State and current Tennessee Titans standout defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons discusses why he lets his emotions flow while playing football.

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) makes his entrance with service members from Fort Campbell before their game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA

Former Mississippi State standout defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons has been a spark for the Tennessee Titans since he was selected by them with the 19th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

The two-time Pro Bowler's abilities in the trenches have created profound success for Tennessee's defensive front as the Titans run defense finished No. 2 in the league in 2021, No. 1 in 2022 and in the top half of the league this past season. That said, Simmons missed the final five games of this past season due to injury.

The work in between the trenches brings a lot of aggression which practically goes hand-in-hand with passion. Sometimes, passion can create overwhelming emotion, which Simmons embraces every game.

"I'm very emotional," Simmons recently told Brandon Saho, the host of The Mental Game podcast. "If you ask guys on the football field, (they'll say that) I'm very emotional. Everything I do, I try to do it with passion, especially if I love it. I love the game of football so I do it with passion. My family, I love my family. I'm a man, at the end of the day, I know who I am. So by shedding tears, that doesn't make me not who I am, that doesn't put my self-esteem down because it's okay."

"Especially being an athlete, we go through so much," Simmons said. "Sometimes because we're these big 300-pounders, we've kind of been, especially growing up as a young black man, we're taught to hold it in. But I think for me, especially when I got older, sometimes you just can't fight it. A lot of people are scared to show that side, but I'm comfortable with myself to be able to let my emotion flow."

Simmons' vulnerability to confidently display his emotions has helped him triumph into the standout NFL player he is every Sunday. His efforts have also made him a top-10 highest-paid defensive lineman in the league.

Simmons played for Mississippi State from 2016 to 2018, where he was twice named a First Team All-SEC member and was awarded the C Spire Conerly Trophy in 2018, which is given to the best college football player in the state of Mississippi.