NFL Record Deal
All-Pro Jeffery Simmons Becomes NFL's Highest-Paid Defensive Tackle With Titans' Historic $105.8M Deal
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Key Points
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In his All-Pro 2025 campaign, Simmons totaled 11 sacks along with 3 forced fumbles and 21 quarterback hits—showing impact on both pressures and turnover plays.
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The extension changes a specific timeline: Simmons was entering the penultimate year of a four-year, $94 million rookie contract signed on April 7, 2023.
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CBS Sports added additional 2025 stat context: Simmons recorded 67 total tackles in 15 regular-season games as part of the production behind the extension.
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Financial/roster context: Bleacher Report noted the Titans currently own the second-most cap space in the NFL, at $49.5 million (via Over the Cap).
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NFL.com emphasized Simmons’ broader résumé with Tennessee, noting he has 42.5 career sacks and has made four Pro Bowls over the past seven seasons.
The Tennessee Titans locked up defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons on a three-year, $105.8 million extension on June 19, 2026, making him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history. The deal includes $100 million in guarantees — a first for any player at the position — at an average of $35.27 million per year, according to TSN.
The timing matters. Simmons, 28, is coming off a career-best 2025 season: 11 sacks, 67 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 60 quarterback pressures in 15 games, per NFL.com. He earned first-team All-Pro honors. Now he's the cornerstone of a rebuilt Titans defense under new head coach Robert Saleh.
Record Guarantees Shatter the Interior Defensive Market
No defensive tackle had ever received $100 million in guaranteed money before this deal. Simmons' $35.27 million average annual value also blows past the previous record held by Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs, who earned $31.75 million per year, according to NBC Sports. Analyst Mike Florio called the new figure a market-"smashing" reset for interior defenders.
Sports Illustrated noted the deal puts Simmons in a tier of his own among interior linemen — closer to elite edge rushers in pay. His 2025 stats back it up. Simmons broke Jurrell Casey's franchise record for sacks by a defensive tackle and added 3 forced fumbles and 21 quarterback hits, per Gridiron Heroics.
Titans' Massive Cap Space Made the Deal Possible
The Titans could afford to take on this risk. Tennessee held about $49.5 million in cap space after the extension closed — second-most in the NFL — according to Bleacher Report via Over the Cap. Earlier in the offseason, projections showed the team sitting on as much as $80 million in available space.
General Manager Mike Borgonzi, hired from the Kansas City Chiefs in January 2025, led the negotiation. He said: "He's the premier defensive tackle in the National Football League and you win with players like Jeffery," per TSN. Borgonzi moved quickly to lock Simmons up before a new wave of defensive tackle contracts could push prices even higher.
Saleh's Defensive Scheme Needed Simmons as Its Anchor
Robert Saleh was hired as the Titans' 22nd head coach on January 20, 2026. He runs a defense that relies on a dominant interior tackle. Pro Football Rumors reported that Simmons was seen as a "necessity" — not a luxury — for Saleh's system to work. Simmons has made four Pro Bowls and totaled 42.5 career sacks over seven seasons, per Gridiron Heroics.
Simmons addressed the media during mandatory minicamp on June 17, two days before the deal was announced. He said the Titans have "always treated me right" and kept a calm tone about his contract situation, per Essentially Sports. After signing, he added: "Tennessee has become a second home for me... My job isn't finished. I believe in this locker room and this staff."
Elbow Surgery, a New QB, and the Next Chapter in Nashville
Simmons spent part of his offseason recovering from a "clean-out" procedure on his right elbow — a chronic issue he had managed with a brace for over two years, per Sports Illustrated. The Titans listed him as recovering from the procedure at the time of the signing. It did not slow down negotiations.
With Simmons secured, the Titans now shift focus to building around rookie quarterback Cam Ward. Essentially Sports framed the extension as a signal that Tennessee is done cycling through short-term fixes. The team is moving from rebuilding to retaining — and Simmons, a three-time Community Man of the Year, is the face of that transition.
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