Two More Titans Added to Pro Bowl

Jeffery Simmons and Rodger Saffold are injury replacements who will take part in the annual NFL all-star affair for the first time.

Steve Roberts/USA Today Sports

Two more Tennessee Titans have been added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster.

Each will be a first-time participant in the annual all-star game. For one, it has been a long time coming.

Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and left guard Rodger Saffold were named as injury replacements for Kansas City’s Chris Jones and Indianapolis’ Quenton Nelson, respectively.

They join safety Kevin Byard, the only Tennessee player selected when the rosters were chosen, and outside linebacker Harold Landry, who was named an injury replacement last week.

The last time the Titans had four Pro Bowlers was 2019.

Simmons, a first-round pick in 2019, was not originally named to the roster despite the fact that he was a second-team All-Pro this season. He was considered one of the most glaring omissions from the initial rosters.

Simmons had a career-high 8.5 sacks (third among all NFL defensive tackles) this season and added 54 tackles. He also was credited with a team-high 58 quarterback pressures and six passes defensed, and he finished second on the Titans with 12 tackles for loss.

He added three sacks and a career-high eight tackles in the playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Saffold just completed his 12th NFL season, and this is his first Pro Bowl appearance. The only other league recognition he has earned during his career was a spot on the 2010 NFL All-Rookie Team. He started 15 of 17 games despite a nagging shoulder issue and helped the Titans to the league’s fifth-best rushing attack. Derrick Henry was the league’s leading rusher through eight games before he was injured.

This year’s Pro Bowl is set for 2 p.m. (CST) Sunday at Las Vegas.