It is Gus Bradley’s first season as the defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans. However, after just his seventh game, his top player, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, has been traded to the Chicago Bears. Bradley shared his initial reaction to the trade.
“When I was told, I think the first feeling, it came across very selfish. I think it was about me. It was hard becaus not only a relationship on the field, but just may conversations not even regarding football through this whole time that we’ve been here. So, there’s a part of me that was selfish in that, ‘Oh no, I no longer will have those conversations. I no longer will be able to visit with him about things’ and we challenge each other,” Bradley said. “He made me better and I don’t
know if I made him better, but we had extended conversations. So, the first part was a feeling of being selfish and you’re going to miss that and miss the player on the field.”
However, from the loss of one player comes opportunities for others. The players who are most likely to see an uptick in snaps and greater chances to make an impact on the defensive line are defensive lineman Timmy Horne and rookie Jackie Marshall. Horne has five tackles so far this season, while Marshall has yet to play a snap this season, although it seems like that will change.
Gus Bradley's initial thoughts after the #Titans traded Jeffery Simmons pic.twitter.com/npHGa0fob2
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) October 30, 2026
“And then I think as you pause and as it went on a little bit more, you realize that your job is to be unselfish and you got to think about the other players on the team. You know, there’s opportunities for Timmy, for Jackie, guys like that that are within our program and they don’t need me to be selfish at this point,” Bradley said. “They need me unselfish and think more about them and what they’re going through and I think that’s what Jeff would want too and so, I am excited about those guys. They do have a great opportunity in front of them. They’ve shown some promising things in practice and in game like Timmy and they get their opportunity now and there’s always stories that take place throughout the year and there’s a story that could take place with those guys and their opportunity.”
Tennessee’s first game withou Simmons will be against the Cincinnai Bengals this Sunday before going on bye.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans DC Gus Bradley reacts to Jeffery Simmons' trade
