The Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons earned the No. 83 spot on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026. Players across the league voted him onto the list, and the official reveal hit on July 2 via the NFL’s channels.
Simmons returns to the ranking after missing the cut last year. He did it the hard way — by playing at an All-Pro level on a team that struggled to win games.
The Stats Behind the Ranking
In 15 games during the 2025 season, Simmons delivered career-best production that forced the league to take notice. He finished with 67 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks — his first time reaching double digits in a single year. He also forced three fumbles and broke up three passes.
| 2025 Stat | Total |
|---|---|
| Sacks | 11 |
| Tackles for Loss | 17 |
| Total Tackles | 67 |
| Forced Fumbles | 3 |
| Pass Deflections | 3 |
| Quarterback Pressures (led all DTs) | 60 |
PFF named him the top interior pass rusher in football. He posted a career-high 13.9% pressure rate and led all defensive tackles with 26 quick pressures. Those numbers explain why the player vote pulled him back onto the list.
The Mindset That Sets Him Apart
The NFL Films clip that dropped with the ranking shows Simmons keeping it straightforward. “I just try to be different,” he says.
That line hits different when you watch him on tape. Simmons doesn’t rely on one move. He mixes power, quickness, and creativity to keep offensive linemen off balance. The motor never stops. Even in games where the Titans offense couldn’t help the defense much, Simmons kept coming in the fourth quarter like it was still the first.
“I just try to be different.”
— Jeffery Simmons, via NFL Films
Recent Contract Locks Him In as Franchise Pillar
Just two weeks before the ranking dropped, the Titans made Simmons the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history. On June 19 they agreed to a three-year, $105.8 million extension that includes $100 million guaranteed. The average annual value sits at roughly $35.27 million.
No. 83 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026…@Titans DT Jeffery Simmons! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/lHe4z9KCwD
— NFL (@NFL) July 2, 2026
The deal runs through 2030 and signals that Tennessee sees Simmons as the cornerstone of the defense for years to come. With defensive coordinator Robert Saleh now in place, the fit looks even better for a player who keeps raising his game in year seven.
Why the Ranking Matters Beyond the Number
Player-voted lists like this one carry extra weight because they come from the guys who actually block and scheme against him every Sunday. Simmons didn’t ride a wave of national media hype. He earned it from the men in the trenches.
Some outside observers ranked him even higher. CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco placed Simmons at No. 20 on his personal Top 100 for 2026. The gap between the two rankings tells a story: experts saw the individual dominance more clearly than the team record allowed.
Titans fans who stuck with the team through a tough 2025 season finally get a moment of national validation for their best defensive player. Simmons stayed locked in, kept producing, and now gets recognized by the people who know the job best.
What Comes Next
At 28 years old, Simmons still has room to grow. The new scheme under Saleh should only amplify what he already does well. If the Titans can put a more complete roster around him in 2026, that No. 83 spot could easily climb in future editions of this list.
For now, the message is clear. Jeffery Simmons is back on the NFL Top 100 because he refused to let circumstances define his level of play. The peers noticed. The stats back it up. And the Titans just made sure he’ll be wearing the two-tone blue for a long time.