The Tennessee Titans have made defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons of Jena, Louisiana the highest paid defensive tackle in National Football League history according to Stadium Rant on Monday. Simmons signed a three-year contract extension worth $105.8 million, of which $100 million is guaranteed. This means that Simmons will make $35.3 million of guaranteed money per year.
One of the most significant words in the opening paragraph is “guaranteed.” That is because not all NFL contracts are guaranteed. Actually seldom are. It will be interesting to see if the Titans organization is setting a precedent.
The previously highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL was Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs. The native of Houston, Mississippi is making $31.75 million per year. The highest paid defensive player is defensive end Micah Parsons of the Green Bay Packers. Parsons is making $46.5 million per year since he was traded from the Dallas Cowboys last year.
Simmons has spent his entire NFL career with the Titans. He was Tennessee’s first round pick, 19th overall, in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State. Simmons has been selected to the Pro Bowl four times (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025), and was an All-Pro defensive tackle for the first time in 2025.
This past season, Simmons had 67 combined tackles (39 solo tackles and 28 assisted tackles), 17 tackles for a loss, 21 quarterback hits, one safety, three pass deflections, three forced fumbles and 11 sacks. The safety came in a 26-9 Titans win over the Kansas City Chiefs on December 21.
In Simmons’s career, he has played in 99 games. He has 376 combined tackles (219 solo tackles and 157 assisted tackles), 66 tackles for a loss, 87 quarterback hits, one safety, 27 pass deflections, eight forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries for two yards and 42.5 sacks.
