NASHVILLE – The introductory press conference for Jeffery Simmons got emotional on Friday after Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk pledged her support and trust in the team's first-round pick.
Simmons, sitting two seats down from Strunk, tucked his head and shed tears when Strunk spoke about her faith in him while welcoming him into the organization.
The Titans picked Simmons, a defensive lineman who played at Mississippi State, with the 19th overall in the NFL Draft.
Simmons is recovering from an ACL injury. The injury, paired with an ugly off-field incident Simmons was involved in back in high school, led the Titans and other NFL teams to do extra homework on the big defensive lineman. The well-publicized incident has also resulted in heavy scrutiny since the pick was made.
"Coming from a woman," Simmons, fighting back tears, said of Strunk. "Like I said, I made a mistake, and I regret it. To hear her say (what she said), I am grateful. The key word she said was trust. And I'll tell her in front of you guys that she can trust me. I won't let her down. I won't let either one of these guys and down. I am grateful."
Strunk said she spoke with Titans General Manager Jon Robinson and head coach Mike Vrabel months ago about Simmons, and watched the video of the incident together.
"It was a process, but it did not take me long to see that this young man had an incident when he was in high school, and we can all look back on our lives in high school and wish we'd done things differently," Strunk said of Simmons. "But you can talk, 'I'm sorry.' But the best thing is he's lived the life of 'I'm truly sorry and I am going to be a good man.' So that made it really easy for me to become comfortable with Jeffery.
"We are getting a great football player, that goes without saying, but we are getting a great man. … We are a nation that gives second chances, and this young man, Jeffery Simmons, he deserved that second chance."
Simmons, who racked up 163 tackles, seven sacks, 32.5 tackles for a loss and four forced fumbles in three seasons at Mississippi State, began the offseason as a potential top-10 pick.
The Titans will monitor his progress as he works his way back onto the field in 2019.
Simmons vowed to do his part on the field, and in the Nashville community.
"These people trust me to come in here and do what I need to do on and off the field," Simmons. "This organization here stuck with me, and I will not let this organization down. I am proud to be a Tennessee Titan."
The Tennessee Titans select Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons in the first round (19th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. (Photos: AP, Mississippi State)
Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) rests during warm-up drills before their NCAA college football game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)
Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons strips the ball from Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) as he tries to throw a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) strips the ball from Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) as he tries to throw a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) strips the ball from Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) as he tries to throw a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
LSU running back Leonard Fournette (7) dives to recover his own fumble in front of Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (98) in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. LSU win 23-20. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Texas A&M quarterback Trevor Knight (8) is pressured by Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (98) as he sets up to pass in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) is grabbed from behind by Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) after a short gain during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Alabama won 31-24. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts (2) runs past Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) for a short gain during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Alabama won 31-24. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) pushes through a double team of Stephen F. Austin offensive linemen on a play during the first half of their NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen is sacked by Mississippi State defender Jeffery Simmons during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) prepares to tackle Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr. (26) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017. The play was called back for a penalty. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)
Louisville running back Dae Williams (25) stretches to avoid a touchback tackle by Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons (94) during the second half of the TaxSlayer Bowl NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. Mississippi State beat Louisville 31-27. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)
FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2018, file photo, Mississippi wide receiver A.J. Brown (1) hauls in a 38-yard touchdown pass reception as Southern Illinois safety Michael Elbert (37) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss. Brown and Mississippi State's Jeffery Simmons are the top two candidates for the Conerly Trophy, which is given to the state's top college football player on Tuesday night, Nov. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
Mississippi State defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons speaks with reporters about being a veteran player on the young football team, during Mississippi State Media Day, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) looks for an open receiver while Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) pressures him during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 6 2018. Mississippi State won 23-9. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
FILE- In this Sept. 1, 2018, file photo, Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) pushes through a double team during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Stephen F. Austin in Starkville, Miss. Simmons is a possible pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2018, file photo, Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat (9) forces Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) to fumble as he attempts to pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game, in Starkville, Miss. A main reason Mississippi State is allowing fewer than 13 points per game is a defensive front anchored by end Montez Sweat and tackle Jeffery Simmons. Sweat has 18 sacks in 19 career games. Mississippi State plays at LSU on Saturday, Oct. 20. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Former Mississippi State defensive players Jeffery Simmons, left, and Montez Sweat, joke around during Pro Day at the university, as other players were being tested by NFL football scouts and coaches, Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Sweat ran some agility drills, while Simmons stayed on the sidelines as he recovers from a leg injury. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) signs toward the Florida bench during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. Florida won 13-6. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Former Mississippi State defensive player Jeffery Simmons, watches as other players were being tested by NFL scouts and coaches, Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Simmons stayed on the sidelines as he recovers from a leg injury. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Mississippi State cornerback Cameron Dantzler (3) reacts with defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) after intercepting the ball during an NCAA college football game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
Former Mississippi State defensive player Jeffery Simmons walks around the Palmero Center while a number of former teammates were being tested by NFL scouts and coaches, Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Starkville, Miss. Simmons stayed on the sidelines as he recovers from a leg injury. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94) waits for the next drill during warm-ups before their NCAA college football game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)
Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (94), left, and defensive end Montez Sweat (9), right, share a laugh during warm-up drills before their NCAA college football game against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)
09-23-17 FB at Georgia Jeffery Simmons #94 Photo by Kelly Price
10-27-18 FB vs. Texas A&M Jeffery Simmons #94 Fans Photo by Kelly Donoho
10-06-18 FB vs. Auburn Jeffery Simmons #94 Photo by Blake Williams
09-02-17 FB vs. Charleston Southern Jeffrey Simmons #94 Photo by Kelly Price
09-17-17 FB vs LSU Jeffery Simmons #94 Photo by Brooklyn Prewett
09-02-17 FB vs. Charleston Southern Jeffrey Simmons #94 Photo by Kelly Price
11-10-18 FB at Alabama Jeffery Simmons #94 Photo by Kelly Donoho
09-30-17 FB at Auburn Jeffery Simmons #94 Photo by Kelly Price
10-27-18 FB vs. Texas A&M Jeffery Simmons #94 Celebration Photo by Trevor Birchett
