Jeffery Simmons is focused on his first two steps.
Every play. The first two steps.
"The get-off is the most important thing," Simmons said. "Those first two steps, you have to really key in on those first two steps."
Speaking to media at Vanderbilt Health Football Center on July 29, the first full day of training camp, the Tennessee Titans'
top defensive tackle is preparing for his eighth NFL season and his first season under coach Robert Saleh.With Saleh, who is installing his own defense, in charge, there's an adjustment for Simmons. Previously he played in a read-style defense, but now transitions to an attack style that requires more off-the-ball speed and immediate aggression. That means those first two steps he takes off the snap are critical.
"Once you get those first two steps in the ground, it's 'Go play football,'" Simmons said.
Simmons doesn't need a lot of direction after those first two steps. He had a team-high 11 sacks last season and his first first-team All-Pro selection, two things that helped him earn a three-year contract extension in June.
"Getting the coaching from the meeting room and taking it to the field ... it's still just football," Simmons said. "That's the kind of thing we forget when we talk about a read defense and an attack defense. You've still got to line up and go play football."
No one is asking Simmons to change much about his game. Though he says he lost about 10 pounds in the offseason, his only concern is remaining consistent. Getting those first two steps right every play of every snap will be the biggest challenge.
That's probably why Simmons' defensive line coach, Aaron Whitecotton, invoked one of golf's most decorated athletes, Tiger Woods, in a recent meeting.
"There was a great story that Whitecotton gave yesterday about Tiger Woods making putts," Simmons said. "I think he had over 1,000-something putts from three feet out. He made something like 99% of those putts."
It was a simple illustration of the importance of consistency in sports. Small tasks, when executed successfully over time, can have a big impact. For Simmons — who noticeably wears a red long-sleeve athletic shirt on the field, not unlike the red golf shirt that Woods often wore on Sundays — it was a reminder of the importance of those first two steps.
Get them right, every time? Everything will work out.
"(The other team) is going to know where we're at," Simmons said. "My first two steps on my track is the most important thing on the defense."
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. He never uses artificial intelligence when developing or drafting stories. Contact Alex atjdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Jeffery Simmons is channeling Tiger Woods at Titans training camp
