All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said the trade to the Chicago Bears told him everything he needed to know.
Simmons was drafted by the Tennessee Titans and spent eight seasons with the team. But on Thursday, the Titans traded him to the Chicago Bears for two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick.
At his introductory press conference Friday, Simmons said the Bears’ valuation of him shows they want to win a Super Bowl, and he wants to do his part to help them get there.
“A blessing,” Simmons said when asked to describe the emotional whirlwind of the previous 24 hours.
Simmons was at the Titans facility eating breakfast with his teammates when his agent called to tell him he was being shipped off to Chicago.
He said the hardest part was calling his family to tell them about the trade and saying goodbye to his daughter at the airport before flying to Chicago. Simmons said it was especially hard to leave because he poured himself into Nashville over his eight years there.
Despite understanding the business side of the league, he was still hurt. He still thanked the team and owner Amy Adams Strunk for the time he had there. But now that he has practiced, he is in much higher spirits.
“It’s been a lot of emotion these last couple days, but today it felt great,” he said.
“It felt great to actually get on the practice field, to move around with the guys. Being back with [defensive end] Montez [Sweat], that was my road dog at Mississippi State. So I’m excited to be here. I’m excited to be a Chicago Bear.”
In his eight years with the Titans, Simmons quietly became one of the league’s most disruptive interior defensive linemen.
He racked up 404 total tackles, 70 tackles for loss, 44.5 sacks, a safety, eight forced fumbles, six recoveries, and 30 passes defended.
Simmons also played on offense in goal-line situations: he caught two passes for three yards and two touchdowns. Simmons is a four-time Pro Bowler and a two-time Second Team All-Pro; he earned a First-Team selection in 2025.
The Bears defense took a major leap from 2025 to 2026 and is currently ranked 8th in total yards allowed and 9th in scoring. Adding Simmons makes the defense even more potent as it complements an offense ranked 3rd in total offense and 7th in scoring.
“What defensive line wouldn’t love that, to be able to just go out there and pin your ear backs and go attack the line of scrimmage and get to the quarterback?” he said.
“So when you see [those] types of things on the other side of the ball, when you’re scoring points like that, that right there is an excitement for a defensive lineman like myself because when you’ve got a team that has to drop back and pass, it’s good luck.”
Simmons told Sweat and fellow DT Grady Jarrett that if an offensive line shifts to stop him, he expects them to take full advantage and get to the quarterback.
The full trade is as follows: the Titans receive first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 and a 2027 fourth-rounder; the Bears receive Simmons and a 2028 fifth-rounder.
“The trade told me everything I needed to know, especially the value,” he said.
“Giving away two first-round picks, I could also look on the other side of that and be like, ‘man, I just got traded,’ but I could also look on the bright side of things. This team believes in what they have here, and they want it [a Super Bowl] right now, and my game, my passion, my energy, my leadership.”
“I can only help this team even more than what it’s got. This is a great locker room, from quarterback all the way down. … I’m excited to be able to help this team compete for a championship. And that’s every team in the NFL’s goal,” he added.
“I think right now, with the way this team has been competing, I’ve been watching these guys from afar. It’s a great team, great locker room, and I’m excited to do my part to help this team get to its goal.”
