Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh wants other NFL teams to give defensive tackle Jordan Elliott a chance despite his "terrible lapse in judgment" in bringing a gun to the team's practice facility last week.
One day after the Titans released Elliott for attempting to retrieve a gun from his car to confront his teammate, Saleh defended his former player's character in a press conference. The coach called Elliott's actions at practice on Thursday, Oct. 15 "small signs of a cry of help" and encouraged "31 other teams" to consider signing the defensive tackle.
"The first question that I think everyone forgets to ask is 'Why would a great man – a great father, a man who shows up on time every day, works his (expletive) off every day, contributes
the way he's supposed to contribute, is well-liked in the locker room – why would he go off the rails and grab a gun?' And to me, those are small signs of a cry of help. Obviously, there's something greater happening," Saleh said.
Saleh said that Elliott may have been struggling with mental health issues that could have been part of the reason for the gun incident. The coach said the league and the Titans organization have been working to get Elliott the help he needs and that the defensive tackle would be a worthy addition to another team's defense.
"I will stand on the table for Jordan's character. Unfortunately, rules are rules with regard to guns on property ... My message to 31 other teams would be if you need a helluva run-stopping D-tackle that can help you on a playoff run, give me a call. I'll tell you everything you need to know about him," Saleh said.
"He's a good man. Had a terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act. It's unfortunate the way it went down."
The Titans ruled Elliott out of their Week 6 game on Sunday, Oct. 18 with a personal matter. The Titans announced they were releasing the veteran defensive tackle with a brief statement on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
"On Thursday, October 15, there was an incident at our team facility involving Jordan Elliott," the Titans said in a statement. "Following our review of the incident, we have made the decision to release Elliott from our roster. We will have no further comment on the matter."
Prior to his release, Elliott was in the first year of a two-year, $8 million deal he signed with the Titans in March. He totaled 11 tackles in five games with one start.
Elliott began his career as a third-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2020 NFL Draft. He signed a two-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency before the 2024 season. Across three teams and seven seasons in the NFL, Elliott has appeared in 102 games with 65 starts. He has tallied 159 tackles and five sacks in his career.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Titans coach says other NFL teams should sign cut DT after gun incident
