Titan’s Jeffery Simmons & Rodger Saffold Headed To Pro Bowl

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Jeffery Simmons. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and offensive guard Rodger Saffold have been named to this Sunday’s (Feb. 6) Pro Bowl.

Simmons is replacing Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones, while Saffold is replacing Colts guard Quenton Nelson. Both are unable to participate due to injury.

This is Simmons first Pro Bowl appearance after originally being named as a reserve when the initial Pro Bowl announcements were made. Simmons had a huge year for the Titans, recording a career-best 8.5 sacks in 2021 and leading the Titans with 58 quarterback pressures. Simmons also ranked second on the squad with 12 tackles for loss.

He led or tied for the team lead in sacks four times in 2021, and led or tied for the team lead in quarterback pressures eight times in 2021. Simmons registered a career-high three sacks at the L.A. Rams on Nov. 7.

For Saffold, this is also his first Pro Bowl appearance after spending 12 years in the NFL. This season, Saffold started 15 games for the Titans.

Simmons and Saffold join Kevin Byard and Harold Landry as the Titans selected to the 2022 Pro Bowl.

Jeff Fisher Joins USFL As Head Coach Of Michigan Panthers

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Jeff Fisher. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

Former Titans head coach Jeff Fisher is back in professional football after being named the newest head coach of the Michigan Panthers in the United States Football League (USFL).

Fisher, who last coached the Los Angeles Rams in 2016, was announced as the newest coach for the Panthers on Thursday (Jan. 27) during Colin Cowherd‘s show The Herd on Fox Sports. The head coaches for the nine other teams were also announced during the program.

He spent 17 of his 22 years in the NFL with the Titans and led them tho the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl appearance at Super Bowl XXXIV. Fisher left the organization with an overall record of 142-120, six playoff appearances, three division titles, two AFC Championship games and a trip to the Super Bowl.

Fisher was inducted into the Titan’s Ring of Honor this past season in September along with Titans/Oilers greats Bum Phillips and Floyd Reese.

Over the past few months, Fisher’s name has been tossed around by media as a possible candidate for multiple college football openings but nothing ever came of these rumors.

The revived USFL will offer football fans a spring professional football league that consists of 10 teams. The teams will be split into north and south divisions and will include the Birmingham Stallions, the Pittsburgh Maulers, the New Jersey Generals, the  Tampa Bay Bandits, the Houston Gamblers, and the Philadelphia Stars.

The season is set to begin on April 16 between the Generals and the Stallions.

Mike Vrabel Named PFWA NFL Coach Of The Year

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Mike Vrabel. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel has been named 2021 NFL Coach of the Year by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).

Vrabel guided the team through a difficult season losing Derrick Henry for half the season and being forced to play over 91 different players–the most in NFL history. Even with these trials, he led the Titans to a record of 12-5 during the regular season, and the AFC’s No.1 seed for the first time since the 2008 season.

The Titans won the AFC South for the second straight season. The 12 wins in the regular season were the most for the franchise since 2008, when the Titans finished 13-3. Through his first four seasons with the organization, Vrabel has a record of 44-27, which includes regular season and playoffs.

Tennessee’s season ended on Jan. 22 after losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 19-16 in the Divisional Round of the 2022 Playoffs.

Vrabel is the second to win the PFWA Coach of the Year honor for the Titans’ franchise. Sid Gilman won the AFC award in 1974 with the then-Houston Oilers.

Harold Landry III Selected To 2022 Pro Bowl

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Titans outside linebacker, Harold Landry III, has been selected to the Pro Bowl as a replacement for Chargers edge rusher Joey Bosa.

Landry will join teammate Kevin Byard, who was voted in by fans, players and coaches, as the only Titans to play in the Pro Bowl. Both were key points in the Titans defensive success this season.

A second-round draft pick of the Titans in the 2018 NFL Draft, Landry finished the 2021 season with 12 sacks, which ranked 10th in the NFL and led the team. Landry also led the team with 14 tackles for loss, and ranked second on the team with a career-best 49 quarterback pressures while finishing third on the team with 74 tackles.

Titans Jeffery Simmons, Morgan Cox, Taylor Lewan, Rodger Saffold, Denico Autry and Ola Adeniyi have also been named alternatives for the 2022 Pro Bowl. They could be selected in the event a current Pro Bowler is unable to play.

The 2022 Pro Bowl will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 6, at 2 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPN.

Titans Set For 26th Overall Draft Pick In NFL Draft

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Photo: Alison P. McNabb/Tennessee Titans

With the Titans season officially over, Tennessee is set to select at the 26th overall pick in April’s NFL Draft.

Tennessee drafted cornerback Caleb Farley with the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Sadly, Farley spent most of the season on the bench due to injury.

General Manager Jon Robinson has had a lot success drafting star players for the Titans in the past. Notable Robinson-selected draftees include Derrick Henry, Kevin Byard and Jeffery Simmons.

The 2022 NFL Draft will take place from April 28-30 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Titans Offense Struggles As Tennessee Falls Short In Divisional Playoff Game

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Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

The Titans 2021-22 season came to a painful ending all too familiar to Tennessee fans as the No. 1 seed lost 19-16 to Joe Burrow‘s Bengals on Saturday, Jan. 22.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill struggled early, throwing an interception with his first pass of the game. The Bengals took that opportunity to score a field goal, going up early. The Titans offense also failed to ever get Derrick Henry going as he only ran for 62 yards on 20 carries.

Tannehill threw two more picks before the end of the game, the last of which came with less than 28 seconds left in the game. This led the way for the Bengals to score the winning field goal.

The Titans defense was the biggest hero of the day, keeping Tennessee in the game by putting massive pressure on Burrow and the Bengal’s offense. The defensive line, led by Jeffery Simmons, sacked Burrow nine times with Simmons tallying three of those sacks.

Even with the strong defensive performance, the Titans offense couldn’t find a way to get anything done. Tannehill only threw one touchdown pass and 220 yards. Henry’s backup, D’Onta Foreman, ran for 66 yards on four carries, but only had one carry in the first half and didn’t get his second until the fourth quarter.

After a successful regular season and dealing with so many injuries, Saturday’s performance fell short of many fans’ expectations.

The Titans are now 0-4 when holding the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee Honor Derrick Henry’s Return With $22 Donations

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Derrick Henry with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee (BGCMT) are honoring Derrick Henry‘s return to the field by playing in to the 22 magic number hysteria that has taken over the Titans this week. Derrick Henry, who dons the No. 22 jersey, returns to the field post-injury on Jan. 22, 2022, 22 years after the Tennessee Titans last made a Super Bowl appearance.

BGCMT are asking people for $22 donations to celebrate the Titans road to the playoffs and to commemorate Henry’s return. Donations can be made here.

Henry has been a huge supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee since he arrived in Nashville. In the past, he’s hosted football camps, donated backpacks and school supplies, sponsored shopping trips, and provided holiday gifts for Club members. In addition, Henry helped a Club family who lost everything in the 2020 tornado by covering their rent and providing new home furnishings and clothing.

“We wanted to do something special to celebrate Derrick Henry because he has done so much for our youth, so the BGCMT staff and key supporters decided to donate $22 for the occasion,” says Jennifer Wheeler Buhrman, chief development officer of BGCMT. “Henry has been so generous to Boys & Girls Clubs, and this felt like a way to honor both the man and the player.”

Henry will be making his highly anticipated return for Saturday’s Divisional Round playoff game against the Bengals at Nissan Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. CT.

Titans Playoff Pep Rally Set For Jan. 21 In Downtown Nashville

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Before the Titans hit the field at Nissan Stadium on Saturday (Jan. 22) to face the Bengals, the organization is holding a Playoff Pep Rally for fans at 6th and Peabody on Friday (Jan. 21.)

Fans will get the chance to see a slew of special guests, including Titans alumni, the “Voice of the Titans” Mike Keith, Titans cheerleaders, mascot T-Rac and a performance by the Blue Crew drum line.

Additionally, prizes will be given away throughout the night, including 2 tickets to the Saturday’s Divisional Round game.

The pep rally is free to the public and will take place from 6:30 p.m. till 9 p.m. CT. The first 250 attendees will receive a Titans Playoff Cup which will allow access to drink specials throughout the evening.