Jeffery Simmons didn’t exactly greet the news of his move to Chicago with a smile.
The veteran defensive tackle is already settling in nicely with the Bears - two games, two wins, and a fan base that has quickly taken to him - but his reaction when he first heard about the trade was far from calm. On a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Simmons said he was upset when the Titans sent him to Chicago, and it had nothing to do with the destination.
Simmons said he was in the Titans’ facility when his agent started calling him early that Thursday morning. His phone was on Do Not Disturb, but the missed calls made it clear something was up. Not long after, he found out Tennessee was dealing him to the Bears.
"I was like really pissed off that it really happened right then and there," Simmons told Eisen.
What bothered him most was the timing and the ending he thought he had earned in Tennessee. He had spent eight seasons with the organization, built relationships all over the building and saw himself as one of the players helping hold the locker room together. He also said he was still pouring everything into the team, even with the season going the way it was.
That’s why the trade landed so hard. Simmons said he understood the business side of football, but that didn’t make the moment any easier to take.
Once he got to Chicago, though, the mood changed fast.
Simmons said the welcome from Bears fans has been unbelievable. He pointed to the Monday night game in Seattle, where he saw Chicago supporters filling the stands, and said his first home game at Soldier Field left a strong impression too.
The experience has been so good, in fact, that Simmons is already thinking about finishing his career in Chicago.
He also had praise for Ben Johnson’s leadership and the confidence inside the Bears’ locker room. Simmons believes the team has championship-level talent if it can stay healthy.
Chicago paid a steep price to get him, giving up two first-round picks in the deal. That kind of move wasn’t made for a short-term fix.
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Bears May Have Found A Trade Bonus They Barely Can Use
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The catch is that the Bears may not have an easy path to using him much more than they already have. Jaylon Johnson has been trending in the right direction, and Malik Muhammad is back from injury, which tightens the rotation at corner just as Phillips was starting to make a case for more work. It leaves Chicago in a familiar spot with a useful player who may simply be stuck behind healthier, more established options. [Read more 🡒]