Jeffery Simmons has important message for teammates, NFL players after home invasion scare
Simmons’ house was broken into while the Titans were in San Francisco last week.
NASHVILLE — The home of Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was broken into during the team’s Week 15 road trip to San Francisco over the weekend. Simmons discovered the scene after arriving back in Nashville early Monday morning.
It would be a jarring experience for anyone, especially given the uncertainty about whether the burglars were still at the home when Simmons arrived.
Jeff Simmons’ message to the community and his teammates
For Simmons, the reaction was visceral at first, followed by gratitude of a certain kind.
“Most away games, my mom goes to my house to watch my games,” Simmons said. “Just grateful my mom wasn’t in my house when that happened. I’m blessed. I wasn’t there, my mom wasn’t there, and none of my family was there. All the materialistic things, I can get all that back. If one of my family members would have lost their lives, that would have hurt way more than them breaking into my home.
Simmons went on to cite the importance of giving back to the community, noting that athletes have a platform to be a force for positivity and change among troubled youth.
Tennessee’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for a third consecutive year, Simmons has been a model citizen since arriving in Nashville. The award is one of the league’s most prestigious and recognizes players for outstanding community service.
Each of the 32 franchises nominates a recipient every season.
Simmons teared up when asked about the incident on Thursday in the locker room, saying that the individuals who broke into his house looked like young people who had metaphorically lost their way. The defensive tackle emphasized why community work is so important: to help those who consider such acts out of desperation understand that there are other ways to get themselves out of whatever circumstances they might be in.
Simmons is involved with youth organizations like Metro Nashville Public Schools HERO program, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, Rally on the Runway, Backfield in Motion, and the Seacrest Studios at Vanderbilt University’s Children’s Hospital. Simmons. He participates in efforts orchestrated by Fund Recovery, Reach Unlimited, the Noxubee Titans, and the Nashville Juvenile Detention Center.
Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.
