Titans extend Jeffery Simmons on three-year, $105.8m deal

The Tennessee Titans have signed defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to a three-year contract extension worth $105.8 million, the team announced on Friday. The agreement keeps Simmons under contract through the 2027 season and carries an average annual value of $35.2 million.

Based on new-money average, the extension makes Simmons the highest-paid interior defensive lineman in the NFL. The figure surpasses the previous benchmark set by Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, whose deal averages $31.75 million per year.

Simmons, a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State, has been one of the Titans’ defensive centerpieces since entering the league. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, a second-team All-Pro in 2021 and 2022, and a first-team All-Pro in 2025.

What the extension means for Tennessee

The new contract locks in a premier interior pass rusher and run defender at a position where elite talent is scarce. For the Titans, it provides continuity at the heart of the defensive front while limiting the risk of a cornerstone player reaching free agency in the near term.

By committing to Simmons at the top of the market, Tennessee is also signaling that its roster-building plan will continue to lean on a strong defensive identity. The length of the extension gives the team cost certainty at a key spot as it plans future salary-cap decisions around the rest of the roster.

Simmons’ message after the deal

In comments shared through the team’s website, Simmons said Tennessee “has become a second home” and thanked the Titans organization for its support. He added that his “job isn’t finished” and said he is focused on helping the team “get back to competing for championships.”

With the extension in place, the next question for the Titans is how they complement Simmons up front and maintain production around him in upcoming seasons.