A punch, a stoppage and a side-field workout: Robert Saleh’s early message to Titans

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons threw a punch early in a team drill Tuesday morning and spent the rest of the Tennessee Titans' practice working on a side field with a strength coach.

First-year coach Robert Saleh stopped practice, pulling his Titans together on the field for a reminder to spend the second session in pads working and not fighting.

“Our policy is if you throw a punch you’re ejected in the game, same thing with practice," Saleh said. "If you throw punch, you’re out of practice. But rather than going to the locker room, he went to the other field. He still got his work in. So the projected reps and the work that he would have gotten, he got in off to the side.”

Simmons, who got a very big extension in late June, also had a brief tussle Monday in the Titans' first day in pads. On Tuesday, Simmons and center Austin Schlottman scuffled after a play before he swung at right tackle JC Latham. Assistant defensive line coach Tanzel Smart grabbed Simmons and took him down out of the scrum.

The Titans went 3-14 last season, and too many penalties for 1,011 yards didn't help. Latham had the most with 14 penalties, including eight that stalled drives. Simmons ranked second with 12.

Saleh said he wants both lines playing with an edge up to toeing the line.

“We’re always going to toe a line of being aggressive and call it instigating if you want," Saleh said. "It’s just the nature of who we’re going to be. But we’ve got to be disciplined enough to make sure that we always find our way back to the huddle without giving the other team freebies.”

Left tackle Dan Moore Jr. walked off the field with a trainer. Saleh had no immediate update after practice. Moore was one of the Titans' big free agent signees in 2025 and a key player for a line already looking for new starters at center and right guard.

Titans quarterback Cam Ward gave fans the play they had been hoping to see late. He threw deep with Carnell Tate, the fourth overall draft pick, running under the ball in the end zone for a 65-yard touchdown.

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