Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was ejected from practice Tuesday after throwing a punch during a team drill. First-year head coach Robert Saleh stopped the session and sent Simmons to work on a side field with a strength coach for the remainder of practice.
Saleh stated the team's policy is to remove players who throw punches from practice, just as they would be ejected from a game. "If you throw a punch, you're out of practice," Saleh said. "But rather than going to the locker room, he went to the other field. He still got his work in. So the projected reps and the work that he would have gotten, he got in off to the side."
This incident occurred just weeks after Simmons signed a significant contract extension in late June. He was also involved in a brief tussle during the team's first padded practice on Monday.
During Tuesday's scuffle, Simmons and center Austin Schlottman exchanged shoves, after which Simmons swung at right tackle JC Latham. Assistant defensive line coach Tanzel Smart intervened, grabbing Simmons and ending the confrontation.
The Titans, who finished last season with a 3-14 record, were hampered by penalties. The team accumulated 1,011 penalty yards, with Latham leading the team with 14 and Simmons ranking second with 12.
Saleh expressed his desire for both offensive and defensive lines to play with aggression while remaining disciplined. "We're always going to toe a line of being aggressive and call it instigating if you want," Saleh said. "It's just the nature of who we're going to be. But we've got to be disciplined enough to make sure that we always find our way back to the huddle without giving the other team freebies."
In a separate concern during practice, left tackle Dan Moore Jr. left the field with a trainer. Saleh had no immediate update on Moore's condition. Moore was a notable free agent acquisition in 2025 and is considered a key player on an offensive line seeking new starters at center and right guard.
The practice session also saw a positive moment when quarterback Cam Ward connected with Carnell Tate, the fourth overall draft pick, for a 65-yard touchdown pass.