Jeffery Simmons calls out teammates after loss: 'Let’s figure out who wants to play football for the Titans'

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It was a close game in London on Sunday, but the Tennessee Titans fell to the Baltimore Ravens to move to 2-4, which is the bottom of the AFC South. 

After the 24-16 loss, Titans star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons seemingly called out his teammates while talking to reporters, saying the team needs to figure out who wants to be on the field.

"We need to figure out the guys who are going to fight," Simmons said. "We need to figure out the guys who want to be out there, not the guys that don’t want to be out there. That’s what it needs to be. We need to reevaluate our team and figure that out. That’s the message: Let’s figure out who wants to play football for the Titans." 

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Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans enters the field prior to game against the Baltimore Ravens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on October 15, 2023. (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

It was a frustrating game all around for the Titans, especially on the offensive side of the ball as quarterback Ryan Tannehill couldn’t get much going before leaving the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. 

Simmons was even seen letting out his frustrations on the Ravens during the contest. After Ravens rookie Zay Flowers hauled in a pass, Simmons was seen diving at his legs as he was being tackled by two of his teammates.

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Veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. took exception to Simmons doing so and appeared to knee him. Simmons ended up reacting more strongly to Beckham’s displeasure, and he was hit with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Beckham and Baltimore received one as well.

Simmons ended the game with two tackles for the Titans as the team dropped its second straight game.

The Titans have a lot of questions to answer, especially at the quarterback position. Tannehill’s injury brought second-year backup Malik Willis into the game. He went 4-for-5 through the air for 74 yards but wasn’t able to find the end zone when the Titans needed it most late in the game.

Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans, right, clashes with Odell Beckham Jr. of the Baltimore Ravens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on October 15, 2023. (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Tennessee saw Willis struggle mightily in his rookie season in 2022, though he beat out rookie Will Levis for the backup role behind Tannehill.

Head coach Mike Vrabel seemingly suggested that the Titans have some issues they might not be able to fix right now, though. 

"I’m not going to stop trying," he told reporters. "Not going to stop trying to prepare them and teach them the fundamentals and execution. There will be some good plays in there and certainly ones we have to eliminate that are getting us beat."

"I would consider anything that would help us win right now, and that’s quarterback – everything. … Let’s figure out what’s going on with Ryan."

Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans is shown after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 1, 2023. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

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The Titans return home next week to face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, at which time Simmons certainly wants to see more effort from his peers.