 Man, what a day to be here, right? First of all, I want to thank you guys for being here. We're all here. This is a very happy occasion to officially, officially announced the extension of Jeff Simmons. You know, there's a model for what you want a player to be and what you want your organization to look like. And I think Jeff is one of those models for us. So this was something that was a priority to get done. With that said, I want to thank Chad Brinker, Assistant GM, and Ben Moreno for all the work that they put in to making this happen, as well as Jeff's representative, Paul Daracell. It was never not a moment where we weren't talking. Our first initial meeting to get something started, to get the conversation started, came a little bit after the senior bowl. And from that moment, we were diligently working to get this done. And it ultimately came to a conclusion last weekend sometime. So I want to keep this brief. This day is about Jeff. This day is about all the work he's put in and the player he's becoming, the player he's going to continue to be for us. So with that said, I want to bring up our head coach, Mike Vrable, to say a few words. Thank you, Rand. Jeffrey, congratulations to you, to your family. Jeff embodies everything that we want in a Titan from the time that we drafted them, from the time that we went down and spent time with you. Mississippi State, you answered a lot of questions truthfully, honestly. You're a great example to our community. So thank you. You've earned this. We're going to continue to hold you to a high standard. That'll be the fun part, but certainly embody everything we believe in here as a team captain, a leader, and your performance on the field. So obviously, thanks to Rand and Chad on behalf of our entire organization, and Ms. Amy and her family, congratulations, man, you earned this. Go for it, but speech, I'm going to get a little tears. But first I want to say thanks to God. God wouldn't be in this situation. I wouldn't be in this place to stand for it. Before you guys have come and overcome, overcame a lot of adversity throughout this journey. Appreciate you, Rand. Appreciate the Titans organization. Ms. Amy, from day one, I told Ms. Amy that I would never let her down. And from this day forward, standing up here now, I texted Ms. Amy after we came to the conclusion that we came to agreement. And I told her how much I appreciate her for trusting me from day one. And when she turned back to me, she told me that you promised me that you would never let me down, and you have it. And that right there, it hit something inside because to have a female owner, a lady owner in the NFL, to trust in you so much from kind of the adversity I went through throughout my journey to get here, it means so much to me. So Ms. Amy, I appreciate you so much, to the Titans organization. We have a lot of work to do. We just get started. To my family, who with me, no matter how low, bad, ugly, whatever, the good, they stick with me. I have not such a good game, and they still say you play good. So just to have them on by my side, each and every week, each and every game, like I said, I appreciate them so much. And Paul, I'm sure Rand know that Paul going to make sure that things get done. He going to make sure you're on the phone. Now it's like Paul, all right, man. Listen, stop calling me until something get done. Like, I'm tired of talking like every other day. It's like Paul, Paul Dorsely calling. So I'm like, all right, Paul, do we got something? But man, just the commitment that Paul made to me and my uncle, of course, me and my uncle started this thing called walking business. Of course, coming out of college, I didn't sign with an agent. That's the road I wanted to go. Just having a mentor like my uncle who played in his league 10 years and to trust him that, OK, I'm not going to steer you wrong. And we brought Paul alone. And Paul haven't let us down. He wanted them guys who kept his word. And I appreciate you, Paul. And like I said to my uncle, Jason Hatcher, is a big mentor to me throughout this process. Just stay patient, patient, patient's been a big word. And I think that's the most stressful part about it. As you guys know, when you're working on a deal, I think Coach Wraib and Rand can tell you, being patient is the biggest thing. And that also taught me another lesson as I was going through this process. It's like, I want to know what's going on. I want to know what may happen. Not one time did I not think I won't be in Tennessee. I won't be playing in Tennessee. But it was all about when would everything get done. Because I was ready for all the noise to clear out. I think a lot of questions about me, my Instagram, and this and that, I think the main thing was me blocking out the noise. Because I wanted to focus on getting healthy training and stuff in that nature and not worrying about social media and what everyone's saying on social media. So like I said, to my family, like I said, again, I appreciate you guys. I love you guys. And it's just not for me. You guys, the reason why I wake up each and every day wanting to be the best, I could be each and every day. My mom, single parents. So just to see how much we have came from seeing the journey we've been on as a family, it's crazy. I think, man, just from house to house, apartment to apartment, sharing a bed with my brother. And we're good. You know, it's just not, you know, my kids, kids, you know, this generation wealth, as we call it. That's what I do it for, man. Every day I wake up. I just think about them hard times of work. I know my mom didn't feel like it. And for some time, I could be like, I'm hurting. But I think about my mom having to raise five kids on her own. And for me to say, I don't want to do this, you know, that's my motivation, my family. So sorry about that. But man, this is, I'm grateful. I'm excited. I never saw myself wearing anything but the two-tone blue other than, you know, holding up a Super Bowl ring and a gold jacket. So that's the only thing I ever saw myself. Outside of wearing the two-tone blue. So I can say I'm excited. And the work is just really getting started. Well, for me individually, I think the biggest thing for me is keep getting healthy each and every day. I'm working towards being, getting back to myself. You know, I want to be 1,000%. I want to help this football team as best as I can. And I think the best way is being healthy on the field, being 100%, well, I'm not gonna say 100% because playing this game, you'll never be 100%. So, you know, how healthy can I be each and every game, each and every day if you can practice? Cause I'm very joking about your practice calls. But you know, I just want to be available. I want to be available for my team healthy the best way I can be. And I think that just taking the next step and how can I take care of my body? How can I take care of my mental and stuff in that nature? But man, I know the type of guys that, and I know the type of team we're trying to build here in Tennessee, I've been here long enough to understand that. And I think when you have a head coach like Rape and have like the culture we have here and we trying to build here in Tennessee, I think once you get, especially these new guys in, when you're getting a buy-in to what we really want, and I think that's where make a team. I think like this OTAs is doing camp and all this stuff and like that, that's going to show and like tell what type of team we have. And like I said, I don't know, you know, of course we already have a different team right now. So when it's time for camp and just to get around these guys, you know, they going to understand quick kind of what's all culture and the way we want to play around here in Tennessee and they're going to get to our ultimate goal. And that's the one in the championship around here. And I think, you know, that's always the goal at the end of the season. So I think that's the next step as a team. And of course, like I'm a guy who's going to put the team first. And my mindset is we have to win. And I, we didn't came up short too many times. And I think this season we have to work extremely hard, harder than just to get to our main goal. 2019, the last time we had maybe one of these press conferences for you, you're 22 years old. Do you think you have grown more as a person, as a player since then, or maybe as a combination of both? No, I mean, I know for a fact I have grown. I know, you know, because if you don't grow, especially as a player in this league from year one to I'm going into year five now, I don't think I'll be sitting on a podium right now. You know, so I mean, I just commend the people who I have around me who pushed me so hard, you know, especially when I'm in this building, you know. Now I think to have a coach and have a position coach like Coach T, you know, Coach Rabeau and these guys like that, you know, I think them type of guys who I appreciate and the reason why you want to come to work, you know, each and every day I wake up, I'd be like, all right, another day we have to get better. And I know for one, I know Coach T, you know, he wanted the best out of me. So each and every day he pushing me, you know, we having them extra meetings on him telling me, like, bro, you could be the best in this game. Like, so I think to hear things like that and to see it and watch film each and every year, how I improve. I think that right there just shows that, you know, each and every year I have improved. And you know, just a man, you know, I try to be better than I was. And that's been my motto forever, be better than I was yesterday, you know, only for the end of the field. So of course I feel like I have grew as a man and as a player. First guy, I think first back with the contract now that runs into what should be the start of a new stadium. Really the foundational guy on this team. How much does it mean to you to kind of be that big of a foundational piece? Well, I really haven't thought about, you know, the stadium and all that. I think my thing is like, I want to be here in Tennessee. I want to play in Tennessee, my career. I want to be here in Tennessee. I love the people in Tennessee. Most importantly, I love the guys on this team. You know, like I said, this whole process, not one time that, you know, that I want to just say that I wanted to leave Tennessee. You know, I wanted to be here in Tennessee. I wanted to get something done. So, you know, to make it, you know, extension, you know, multiple years, you know, the four year, whatever extension, you know, of course leading to the new stadium. But, you know, when I first came in this league, especially after my rookie year, you know, I kind of knew that I would have to step up a little more, especially, you know, a guy, a good friend that I'm, you know, keeping contact with to this day, Jarrell Casey, when I knew that he was leaving, you know, I kind of knew, all right, you know, this is your time to be a leader and be more vocal, especially after my rookie year and be, you know, try to be that captain that, you know, that needed to be here in Tennessee. And I think from that day forward, you know, that's when I saw that, you know, in myself that I could be that guy to help lead this team. And to this day, you know, I feel like I have a lot of work to do myself. So to this day, I still feel like I have, you know, some work to do with this team, you know, because I do look at myself as, you know, the voice for this team, especially on defense. I look at them guys each and every day that, you know, we have to, we could be better. We could be better than we was and we could actually get to our main goal. So, you know, I'm excited for what may come in the future. Especially the stadium, but, you know, right now I'm just focused on today. We hear a lot of times that you are, as Ran and Coach Rebel said, the walking embodiment of this team. How personally do you take that and what would you say is an example of how you exemplify the mindset that they want to have? I mean, I think you start off with just the way we want to play around here. You know, not just, you know, because we get taught the way to, you know, we, each and every day we get coached hard, you know, and I think it's not just, they don't come down to the coaching center all the time. It's about the players. And I think when you have the players doing it and talking it, I think that's when it's like, all right, this is what they want. And like I said, I'd have been around Coach Rebel. I know the toughness he won on our team. I know the gritty he won. And I know the type of effort he wants us to play with. And so if I'm not out there doing it, then these other guys are not gonna buy into it. So, and that's, I think what I appreciate Coach Rebel the most, you know, when I'm not doing it, I get called out. You know, and I, the best players get called out on this team, no matter who it may be, could be from Derrick down to anybody. So I think that's what simplified like what's embodying this team, the way God's like myself, that I feel like, you know, a captain on this team, if I'm doing the right thing, if I'm playing the way that we can be being coached with technique, fundamental effort and all them things like that, full tilt. And I take pride in that. So, and then I think it's just off the field. You know, I like to be in the community and things in that nature. I want to inspire the youth. That's one of the biggest things I speak on a lot. So, you know, it's just not about on the field. And I think that's where, you know, we also talk about, you know, how about, you know, what we're doing in the community and stuff in that nature. You showed, you know, talk about playing through the anchor organization through this process. When did you kind of get the indication that they were going to be all in for you? Well, I mean, I didn't really know at the beginning because of course we didn't have a GM in place. But when I first met Rand, you know, our first conversation, you know, was it, you know, when I sat down and talked to him and some of the stuff he told me, it was like, you know, I would be here in Tennessee. And, you know, I would say Rand kept his word, your man his word. He just joking with me about that. So, and I think that's the biggest thing for me. And now I'm just hitting it from our owner, Miss Amy. You know, I remember, I can't remember exactly what week it was, but of course it was after the fire. But, you know, just to hear her say, you know, you okay? Like we're going to take care of you here. And I think that's what put me at ease. And from that day forward, like I said, I wasn't focused on, you know, just to cut this big contract. That's why I put a team in place for that. And, you know, my thing was this business all season, just how can I get healthy? And, you know, I'm ready for this upcoming season. The city and community, of course, the team obviously, but you've also done so much off the field, your new foundation, give them a reason. How excited are you to continue the work you've started off the field and continue this relationship with the city that clearly means so much to you? Yeah, I'm excited. I think my first event with my foundation was last year, around Christmas time. You know, I think when we talk about off the field, because, you know, I came from a small town and I know a lot of these kids don't have hope. And someone in the seat right now, looking for that hope and looking for like that, why? And so I think when you have a foundation like that, especially mine called Give Them a Reason, is to inspire the youth and create opportunities, try to create opportunities for our youth. And each and every day, that's been my goal. When I see a young kid, you know, I never turn a kid down for a picture. You know, it's because they look up to us. And we second examples, we're going to give them back to our community and letting these kids know that they can be here, no matter if they wanna be a lawyer or whatever it may be, you know, never give up on your dream. You know, I came up with this Give Them a Reason because like, you know, when we growing up as a kid, we always want a handout, you know? And now it's like, why not? Why we can't do, why we can't get this offer? And I always, when I went back to my high school, I told them kids, give the coaches a reason to give you an offer and stuff like that. You know, the same way on this level, get these coaches a reason, excuse me, to get put you on the field. So I think that's the reason why I came up with that name. And like I said, now it's just like, you know, I hope it's a takeoff, you know, I wanna be more in the community here in Nashville. A lot of my community work been in Mississippi, you know, with sponsoring and naming a field house at my old high school and having all my camps in Mississippi. So I wanted that to grow. And I wanted to bring a lot more activities and, you know, things to Nashville. So, yeah, just a lot of excitement from guys, you know? So a couple of guys this morning, you know, it just to me, I think the main thing is, you know, just getting back around the guys and I can't wait to get back around the guys. And, you know, like I said, we gonna have a complete new team, you know, a lot of these guys new to our team. I met Aziz, Aziz, this is Ray, right? Yeah, I met Aziz this morning. And I guess I could tell already that, you know, he gonna be good for us just the talk we had this morning. And I'm excited, man. I'm excited to, you know, cause I've been on the contract here. So it's not like I'm new to this team. So I'm not just excited to see how much more we could grow as a team and, you know, get to our next step. Jeff, from a football standpoint, what do you feel that you need to work on and improve on to help take this defense to the level that you guys envision? And then also with coming back from the ankle injury, how is your training regimen maybe changed this off season as you look to elevate it? Well, first, I mean, right now that's, that's how I've been my focus, my ankle. I mean, I did get it, you know, cleaned up and I feel fine right now. I think the main thing is just keep getting that ankle better, better right now. But I think when it come down to me as a, me being a person, me personally, I think the consistent of my technique and, you know, playing with, you know, my body lean that we talk about and, you know, coach rating them always stressing it to me just because I know, and I've helped seen it. Like when I'm, when I'm playing with that technique that we talk about consistently, you know, no one could block me in this league. And I, you know, I, I see it and I hear it all the time. So I think that's my biggest thing. How consistent can I be with them things? My technique, my fundamental and my effort. And I think that that's right there just to find it. Cause, you know, everything else to take care of itself, my leadership and all that. I just want to be more consistent. Talked about how meaningful the generational wealth is for you and the family. How'd you get to tell everybody? And what was it like to tell everybody you signed the deal? Well, I mean, I think when I told, we was in the group chat and I told him, but kind of my brother broke the news to everyone in the group chat and the group chat. I was, I was waiting to do it. He ended up bringing the news like such and such. But I think, I mean, even though, you know, it was, it was special, you know, just to be able to share that moment with my family for them to be here today is special. When we was on the phone, it was me, my agent Paul and my uncle. And we was like, it was, it was, it was a long talk. I would say right before we made the decision, like, all right, this, what we going to do guys? Like everyone was like, are we in or not? But I mean, it was, it was unbelievable. You know, I heard a couple of tears on the phone. I didn't call no name, but no, man. It was, it was, it was unbelievable, man. Like I said, I'm so grateful to have a team and have a family like I have. And, you know, props to Ren and his team, you know, this organization, you know, we got the deal done and I'm excited, man. I said, the work really just getting started for real. So. You know, had a two-tiered tweet, I guess, after the news came out where you tried to, maybe you dropped the keys in there? Yeah, no, I was just messing with the people. You know, I was wanting to let kick out of it, but you know, I knew this whole time that, you know, I was going to be here in Tennessee, you know, especially the fans. They, you know, even when I'm not, you know, social media, I'm walking into a restaurant. You know, they're stopping me and my girls. Like, you know, if they leave, if they don't sign you, we're not, we're not, we're going to bark out of this and that. I'm like, man, I'm like, we have no words. I come down, but nah, man, it just, you know, it's always good to always keep the fans in the loop. I think, you know, I'm big on, you know, our support system. You know, we have some great fans here in Tennessee that support us and, you know, I always want to check in every now and then on Twitter with them or whatever it may be, mess with them. But, you know, that joke was a little joke on with the fans and like I said, I mean, we have some great fans in Tennessee. You talked about being patient through this. Last year you played for a very inexpensive deal. You had to be patient with that and then with the ankle, you weren't yourself for some of the time. Was it difficult to be patient through that, knowing that this day would probably come but having to wait for it? Honestly, I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not one time that I think about this deal during the last season. I was thinking about the now because I wanted to win. I wanted to get to our goal, which didn't happen. So like I said, not one time that I think about, you know, I'm really playing on this ankle right now and I don't know what it may be in the future. I was just focused on that now. Like, and that was my goal to be on the field each and every week for my team, my teammates. And so now I didn't think about, you know, of course, like everyone know already, like going into that season, you know, it was some thoughts, but, you know, I made a decision and they could tell you that I was like, I want to play this year. I don't want to, I don't want nothing all this extra stuff. I don't want to deal with it right now. And I came here and I, you know, I played for my teammates and I played for this organization. So now I didn't think about it not one time. And I was just being patient with my ankle. I say that I was, that's the only patient I had to really kind of like settle down. But like, okay, just going to have to get through it this season. You wanted to be patient. Why was it important to you to get that deal done before Super Booth all week? No, it wasn't, it wasn't, it wasn't, I wouldn't say before Super Booth all weekend. I'm sure that's a Paul question for it. He told you asked that, something like that. But nah, man, my goal was to get it done when the right time, when everyone, when both sides came to agreement. Like I said, we came to agreement. I was on a phone call with my team and we came to agreement and it just so happened to be before, you know, Mississippi State Spring game this weekend. So, you know, I'm sure them fans will be crazy and be excited, you know, for the news. I've already been getting a lot on social media. I read it, but I can say, I'm grateful, man. I'm grateful. I'm excited to see what the Fridge of Brains for this organization and myself. Did you get a kick out of people making such a big deal out of you taking the Titans off your social media? Nah, man. I got to tell everyone earlier. I don't think, I know it was like a, like, I guess a, you know, news, like alert. But my biggest thing was I didn't want, I wanted to eliminate myself from all the distraction, you know, because I was getting tagged in this. I was getting tagged in that. And I think when it came down to it, you know, I didn't want to, that's kind of the reason why I kind of deactivated my page. Because I wanted to just focus on getting healthy. I wanted to focus on working out and stuff like that. So I wanted to say, you know, I didn't get, didn't mean to like, you know, make it a big deal. Of course it's ended up being a big deal. But my goal was to just focus on myself at that time. Because like I said, I was dealing with the ankles. I was dealing with, you know, it's just other stuff, all the field, you know, just being an adult. So I would just focus on that at the time. So I wasn't trying to make that a big deal. So.