Titans’ Jeffery Simmons gets candid on how shedding tears doesn’t make him any ‘less of a man’

Jeffery Simmons was candid when revealing that young men are told to bottle up their emotions.

Titans’ Jeffery Simmons gets candid on how shedding tears doesn’t make him any ‘less of a man’

Jeffery Simmons gets candid on how shedding tears doesn't make him any 'less of a man' (image via Imago)

NFL stars are generally considered to be some of the toughest athletes in the sporting world. Every snap on the gridiron is a battle to gain a physical advantage over their opponents. Therefore, it also requires a certain level of mental toughness. But that does not mean a football player cannot be emotional—something that is a part of Tennessee Titans defensive star Jeffery Simmons‘ character.

The defensive tackle was a guest on an episode of The Mental Game podcast. While speaking with host Brandon Saho, Simmons shared how he embraces his emotional side.

I'm very emotional. Everything I do, I try to do with passion, especially if I love it. Like the game of football, I love the game of football, so I do it with passion. My family, I love my family. It got to a point where, you know, I'm a man. And at the end of the day, I know who I am. So, by me shedding tears, that don't make me not who I am. That doesn't put my self-esteem down, because it's okay. Especially being an athlete, we go through so much.
Jeffery Simmons said

Simmons shows his emotions out on the field in every way he can. Be it flexing after a sack, trash talking, or celebrating with his teammates, he does not stop from showing his passion. However, he is also comfortable shedding tears.

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He was categorically clear that he is comfortable with letting his emotions flow, given the passion with which he plays the sport. Just because he is a hulking 305 lb. monster on the field does not mean he has to hide his emotions. In fact, he feels men are generally told to keep it down. But it is important for any athlete’s mental health to show what they feel.

Jeffery Simmons shed tears of joy as his NFL dream came true

The Tennessee Titans saw those feelings on full display when they selected Simmons with the 19th pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. Jeffery Simmons was not sure if he would end up getting drafted in the first round. After all, a torn ACL made teams skip the First team All-SEC standout until the Tennessee Titans called him when he was watching the draft from home.

Tennesse Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons shed tears of joy when he was drafted in 2019
Tennesse Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons shed tears of joy when he was drafted in 2019 (image via Imago)

After receiving the call, the now 2-time Pro Bowler shed tears of joy, knowing that his hard work and that of his single mother over all those years had finally paid off. After recovering from his injury, Simmons became the anchor for one of the best defenses in the league. Three years in a row they were considered as one of the top 3 run defenses, all thanks to the play of Simmons and his teammates.

That hard work has paid off as the about to be 27-year-old is one of the highest paid defensive linemen in all of football. If all of this culminates in a Super Bowl, Simmons will be the first ones to shed tears of joy.

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