Titans Give Simmons NFL-Record $105.8M Extension

Jeffery Simmons just reset the defensive tackle market. The Tennessee Titans signed Simmons to a three-year, $105.8 million extension. The contract includes $100 million guaranteed for Simmons.

Simmons Tops Every Defensive Tackle in NFL Pay

The Titans gave Simmons a three-year, $105.8 million extension on Tuesday. The deal guarantees Simmons $100 million at signing. The agreement carries an average annual value of $35.3 million. That figure makes Simmons the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.

Simmons cleared the previous defensive tackle high with room to spare. Chris Jones held that mark at $31.8 million per year with Kansas City. Simmons now earns $3.5 million more annually than Jones. The new average tops the previous record by 11 percent. The deal also became the first defensive tackle contract with $100 million guaranteed.

The contract reshapes the market for interior defenders across the NFL. Simmons now sits $3.5 million per year above the prior ceiling. Rival front offices now budget for a higher tackle market. Simmons forced three fumbles for Tennessee during the 2025 season. The deal confirms interior pass rush as a premium NFL asset.

Simmons arrived as the No. 19 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Tennessee tackle has started for the Titans across seven seasons. Simmons earned the deal with a career year in 2025. The Tennessee defender posted a career-high 11 sacks last season. Simmons also generated a 14.5 percent pressure rate in 2025.

Simmons dominated interior snaps throughout the 2025 campaign. The Tennessee tackle led all interior defenders in solo tackles with 39. Simmons also paced the group in tackles for loss with 17. The defender added 60 quarterback pressures and 79 sack yards. First-team All-Pro voters recognized Simmons after the breakout year.

The extension secures Tennessee interior defense for three more seasons. Simmons gives the Titans a cornerstone on a front-seven rebuild. The contract commits $35.3 million per year to one defensive tackle. That investment limits Tennessee flexibility at other positions through 2028. Tennessee now owns cost certainty on its best defender.

Simmons enters 2026 as the NFL top-paid interior defender. The contract runs through the 2028 season for Tennessee. Other defensive tackles will now cite the $35.3 million benchmark in talks. Watch whether Tennessee defense climbs the rankings around Simmons this fall. The Titans open training camp in July with the extension done.