Mike Vrabel sets the tone on Titans practice scuffle
Early practices at Tennessee Titans training camp have been full of energy and competition. As rookie quarterback Will Levis put it earlier this week "you'd think [the Titans] were playing a rivalry game every week" with how things have gone. Some of Tennessee's new defensive additions, namely defensive end Arden Key and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, […]
Early practices at Tennessee Titans training camp have been full of energy and competition. As rookie quarterback Will Levis put it earlier this week "you'd think [the Titans] were playing a rivalry game every week" with how things have gone.
Some of Tennessee's new defensive additions, namely defensive end Arden Key and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, bring some vocal intensity to the practice field each and every day. Pair that with defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, and the Titans' defense does a good amount of talking.
It's all friendly competition. Just teammates trying to win every rep of every practice. But occasionally, tensions boil over and things get out of hand.
That's exactly what happened on Tuesday when Jeffery Simmons and offensive tackle Jamarco Jones got into it during team period of practice. Ryan Tannehill threw a pass that got deflected at the line of scrimmage, and after the play was blown dead, Simmons and Jones were pushing each other and getting chippy.
Both players were removed from practice and spent the rest of the day working out on the sidelines and in the sand pit. Neither returned to the practice field, however.
Titans head coach Mike Vrabel set the tone early about getting into scuffles during camp. Vrabel has made it clear that he has absolutely zero time for it. That goes for both the players and the media.
“I’m not wasting my time talking about that," said Vrabel when asked by Titans media about the altercation following practice.
This is always the risk you run with high energy, competitive practices. Tennessee's practice on Tuesday was an unscripted "scrimmage-like" practice that featured mostly 11-on-11 periods. The pads are on and tensions are, as expected, running high.
Less than two weeks from now the Titans will be able channel all of that tension into the Chicago Bears during their first preseason game of the 2023 season at Soldier Field.
Recapping Will Levis’ breakthrough day at Titans camp
Rookie quarterback Will Levis showed out on Monday.
