NFL found no evidence Titans Jeffery Simmons spat on Ravens Marshal Yanda
By Ravi Konjeti
The NFL found no proof of Tennessee Titans rookie Jeffery Simmons spitting on Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda.
After the Tennessee Titans’ demolition of the Baltimore Ravens last week, veteran guard Marshal Yanda had some strong accusations against rookie Jeffery Simmons.
Yanda accused Simmons of spitting on him during the game and didn’t hold back in the post game press conference.
Simmons didn’t respond until Wednesday before practice, when he cryptically denied the accusations when asked by reporters.
Now, the Titans defensive lineman has more evidence on his side.
According to Paul Kuharsky, the NFL found no video evidence that Simmons spat on Yanda.
Simmons was electric in the Ravens game, particularly with his key fumble recovery from a Jurrell Casey strip sack. Simmons was a force all game long and helped limit Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to only 12 points.
Ironically, Yanda himself was accused of spitting on former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Yanda refuted the claims back then and argued that he held himself as a professional.
Yanda has played in the NFL for 13 seasons, all for the Ravens, while getting eight Pro Bowl and two All-Pro nods. It’s possible that Yanda was frustrated by the Ravens’ offensive line getting beat up by the Titans’ defense.
The Titans should be proud of the rookie in his composure and his response. Despite seeing his name being dragged, Simmons showed a maturity that most NFL players don’t possess.
Simmons was also not fined for a hit to the head on Lamar Jackson after the NFL investigation.
Simmons is having a great season after returning from a torn ACL injury midseason with two sacks and 32 tackles in nine games. Simmons has been a terrific professional for the Titans and will continue to anchor the defensive line for years to come.