More details have emerged surrounding the Tennessee Titans' decision to release defensive tackle Jordan Elliott.
According to Aaron Wilson of KRPC Houston and Austin Stanley and Easton Freeze of AtoZSports.com, Elliott went to his car to grab a gun after a heated dispute in practice with teammate and offensive tackle JC Latham on Thursday, Oct. 15.
Titans coach Robert Saleh corroborated the reports during a Wednesday, Oct. 21, press conference.
Wilson reported that Elliott was told to leave the field after getting into it with Latham in practice. The defensive tackle reportedly removed his pads on the sideline, "stormed out" of the Titans' locker room and went to the players' parking lot to retrieve a gun from his car.
veteran defender after 'incident' at team facility
Titans defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers stepped in to de-escalate the situation, according to reports. No one filed a report to the Metro Nashville Police Department, according to The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Elliott was ruled out of the Titans' Week 6 game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Oct. 18, for personal reasons. Two days later, on Tuesday, Oct. 20, the Titans announced they were releasing Elliott.
"On Thursday, October 15, there was an incident at our team facility involving Jordan Elliott," the team's statement said. "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.
Titans coach confirms report that Jordan Elliott 'pulled a gun'
Saleh spoke to reporters in a press conference on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and confirmed that Elliott retrieved a gun from his car in the players' parking lot at the Titans' facility. He commended the NFL and the Titans' organization for how they handled the situation and classified the incident as a "cry of help" by Elliott.
"This is a man who is a father, a great husband. He's never committed a crime in his entire life. And he pulled a gun in the parking lot," Saleh said.
"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 the league and the team both "did an outstanding job ... checking every single box in regards to getting him the help that he needs." He insinuated Elliott may have been struggling with his mental health and related his outburst last week to the recent suicides of NFL players Marshawn Kneeland and Rondale Moore.
"In the last year, the NFL has lost two outstanding young men to taking their own lives," Saleh said. "They may have been crying for help, and everyone ignored it. I'm not saying that's where [Elliott] was, I'm not going to speak on that, but these kids go through a lot. A lot."
The Titans coach concluded his statement by lauding Elliott's character despite last week's incident and encouraging other teams to sign him.
"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."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Released Titans player nearly confronted teammate with gun
