Tennessee Titans Jeffery Simmons rushes Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Titans’ Jeffrey Simmons Shouts Out Shedeur Sanders

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Lane Mills | Last updated Dec 8, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Against all apparent odds and in an unfortunately unusual turn of events, the Tennessee Titans won their second game of the season on the road against the Cleveland Browns. In the 31-29, surprisingly thrilling battle, the Titans’s offense - specifically a 161 yard explosion from running back Tony Pollard - overpowered the equally bad Browns and came away with a shocking, uncharacteristic victory.

Not only was the game a big deal due to the inevitable impact that it was going to have on the 2026 NFL Draft (the Titans may have sacrificed the first pick for a win), but at the core of the game was an exciting duel between rookie quarterbacks and longtime “co-workers”, if you will, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.

Rookie vs. Rookie

While Ward would eventually pull out the win, Sanders impressed mightily in the highly-touted matchup, leading his team on a full-field final scoring drive that would only be stunted by a muffed two-point conversion. One that, oddly enough, Sanders wouldn’t see the field for. Even so, the young QB was lauded far and wide despite his losing, with praise even coming from within the Titans’ own team.

He’s a baller but Titans Won… https://t.co/HduhKmoknr pic.twitter.com/VpkxXymzrj
— Jeffery Simmons (@GrindSimmons94) December 8, 2025

In a post after the game concluded on X (Twitter), the Titans' star defensive tackle and franchise cornerstone Jeffery Simmons made a short post in response to Sanders having celebrated in front of him after a Browns score.

"He's a baller but," Simmons began, cheekily skirting the text with a yawn emoji, "Titans won."

Credit Where Credit is Due

In spite of Simmons' mild jab, given Tennessee having won the battle after Sanders' celebration, the DT made sure to give the signal-caller his flowers after what was an undeniably electric performance.

While the Titans' own Ward threw two touchdowns and led his team to a victory, Sanders more than tripled Ward's passing yards. Going for 364 and three touchdowns on 42 attempts, the sensational rookie shone brightly in the dim surroundings of his team's overall failure. Simmons recognizing that, if nothing else, is a positive note for both the defender as a leader and the rookie as a growing prospect.

As both teams work through a rebuild - with Tennessee specifically gearing up for another full overhaul - sporting a QB battle with ongoing relevance this late in the year is good for either franchise. For Tennessee's cardinal defensive asset, in Simmons, he can have his cake and eat it too in recognizing Sanders' talent and also, ultimately, taking him down.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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