The Tennessee Titans and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons agreed to a 3-year, $105.8 million contract extension roughly a week ago, and now the full financial breakdown is here. 

Simmons, now well known as the first defensive tackle in NFL history to receive $100 million guaranteed, will remain under contract in Nashville through the 2030 season after this new deal layers on top of the two years remaining from his previous 4-year, $94 million extension signed in the summer of 2023.

“Tennessee has become a second home for me,” Simmons said via a team statement. “From day one, this organization believed in me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue to pour into this franchise and community.”

“I want to thank God, my family, my teammates, Ms. Amy and the entire Titans organization for believing in me. My job isn’t finished. I believe in this locker room and this staff, and I’m focused on helping this team get back to competing for championships.”

The contract details, via Spotrac, paint a picture of a deal structured to reward Simmons heavily up front while giving Tennessee a realistic path to move on down the road. Simmons is represented by Todd France, A.J. Stevens, and The Athletes First, who negotiated the extension with the Titans front office.

How the guaranteed money breaks down

The deal includes a $20 million signing bonus, which is required to be paid out within 21 days of signing. That accounts for the first chunk of Simmons’ $100 million in guarantees.

From there, $60.2 million is fully guaranteed at signing. That figure includes the $20 million signing bonus, a $13 million base salary for 2026, and his 2027 compensation of $21.4 million, plus additional bonuses that push the total to the $60.2 million mark.

The next wave of guarantees kicks in on the fifth day of the league year in March 2027, when roughly $30 million more becomes fully guaranteed. That amount covers Simmons’ 2028 compensation and functions as an injury protection clause. So by March 2027, the Titans are on the hook for approximately $90 million of the $100 million guaranteed.

The final $10 million of guaranteed money locks in the fifth day of the league year in March 2028, covering a portion of his 2029 compensation. That 2029 season carries a base salary of $22.25 million plus a $5.5 million roster bonus along with workout bonuses.

The Titans’ potential out and cap flexibility

The contract includes a void year in 2031 to help spread cap charges, but the real flexibility lives after the 2029 season.

If the Titans decide to move on from Simmons after 2029 (which I think would be fair entering his age 33 season), they can do so for only $4 million in dead cap, which is the remaining signing bonus proration. That move would save Tennessee $33 million in cap space for the 2030 season.

Jeffery Simmons’ salary cap hit by year season, via Spotrac:

• 2026: $22.01 million
• 2027: $31.8 million
• 2028: $34.9 million
• 2029: $33.1 million
• 2030: $37.1 million ($4 million in dead cap)

That potential out is significant. It gives the Titans four productive years with their franchise defensive tackle while preserving the ability to reset their cap if the situation calls for it.

A familiar high-end dollar amount for Tennessee

The full value of the deal mirrors a contract we all know well. If you take out the 2030 season (after the potential out), the structure is exactly a 4-year, $118 million deal. 

That is the same total as Ryan Tannehill’s extension from the spring of 2020. Simmons’ deal adds three new years on top of the two remaining years from his previous contract, with money shifted around to create the new guarantees.

We knew this contract extension could be coming because Simmons had already gotten all of the guaranteed money from his prior deal. The remaining base salaries for 2026 and 2027 were in the low $20 million range and had no guarantees. 

The Titans made good on a player who has done everything right for them, even during this brutal losing stretch where the team has only won 12 of the last 59 games.

“Jeffery Simmons is a pillar for our franchise and embodies what it means to be a Titan,” GM Mike Borgonzi said in the same statement. “He’s the premier defensive tackle in the National Football League and you win with players like Jeffery. Not only is his leadership on the field what we want our program to represent, but off the field, he sets the standard for our community.”

What this means for the Titans going forward

The Titans are committing roughly $90 million in guarantees before they even reach the 2028 league year, which is a substantial financial bet on Simmons remaining healthy and productive.[

The structure rewards him now while building in natural evaluation points. If Simmons continues to play at an elite level, Tennessee gets a franchise cornerstone locked in at fair value. 

If things shift, the $4 million dead cap exit after 2029 provides a clean escape.

For a Titans team building around quarterback Cam Ward and investing heavily in the roster around him, keeping Simmons in the fold at this price point was an obvious priority. Now, with the details out, the structure confirms the Titans got creative enough to make both sides happy.