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By Anne Erickson
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The Tennessee Titans are entering a new chapter, but one thing hasn't changed.
If you're looking for the team's most important non-quarterback heading into the 2026 season, Jeffery Simmons is still that player.
He's been the heartbeat of Tennessee's defense for years. That's not changing.
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Elite defensive tackles don't always receive the same attention as edge rushers, but Simmons has shown just how valuable an interior standout can be. There just aren't many players built like him.
Coming off one of the best seasons of his career, Simmons continues to prove why he's one of the NFL's premier defensive linemen. His ability to generate pressure from the middle forces quarterbacks off their spots and creates sweet opportunities for everyone else along the defensive line.
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That's the kind of impact that doesn't always show up on the scoreboard but so often decides games.
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Simmons also brings something every rebuilding team needs: leadership. He's seriously one of the Titans' most respected voices in the locker room and sets the standard with the way he practices and competes every single week. Younger players naturally follow someone who plays with that kind of consistency and intensity.
There are other talented players on Tennessee's roster, but few influence every snap the way Simmons does. His presence changes how offenses approach the Titans' defense.
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The Titans are still putting the pieces together for the future, for sure, but Simmons gives them a foundation they can count on. Every successful defense needs a player who can take over a game without needing the spotlight.
That's exactly what Simmons has become.
Quarterbacks may drive today's NFL, but for the Titans, no non-quarterback has a bigger impact than Jeffery Simmons. Nobody.
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