NEW ORLEANS – Jeffery Simmons was at NFL Honors here on Thursday night as the Titans' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year.
Musician Jelly Roll was there for an on-stage skit with rapper Snoop Dogg, and three days before Super Bowl LIX, he took the stage in full uniform, Titans head to toe.
What Simmons didn't find out until just before taking the Red Carpet was that Jelly Roll made plans to come to the event so he could walk with him in a show of support, and appreciation, for his work in the community.
"Jeff Simmons, he's the reason I'm here," Jelly Roll said. "I know that Jeff has done a lot in (Nashville), and he always has. He's been a philanthropy first kind of guy, he's been a 'do it instead of talk about it' kind of guy since he got here and he's proven himself time and time again.
"He is special man. I am here for Jeff Simmons."
Considered one of the league's most prestigious honors, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field. One player from each team is selected each year, and Simmons has been Tennessee's nominee for the past two seasons.
Among the things Simmons took an interest in this past year was a community endeavor close to Jelly Roll's heart.
Back in December, a big group of Titans went to the Juvenile Justice Center in Nashville to spend time with some of the kids. It's a facility Jelly Roll spent time in as a troubled youth.
Simmons jumpstarted the team's efforts to the visit after Jelly Roll visited with the Titans at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park earlier in the fall.
"He chased me out the door," Jelly Roll said of Simmons. "I felt the ground shaking and it was Jeffery Simmons chasing me out the door saying: When do you want to go do that? He's just a different guy."
Simmons said he was touched by Jelly Roll making the effort to be there for him.
The two have become friends over the past year, and the connection clearly means something to both men.
Jelly Roll pointed to the "Give 'Em a Reason" jacket Simmons wore on the Red Carpet as they both posed for photographs, patting him in the back on the process. Simmons started the foundation during his time in Tennessee.
"Man, it means a lot," Simmons said of Jelly Roll. "I walked back to his tour bus, and to hear him say he was here for me, it is one of those dreams come true. Growing up, I never would have thought a person like Jelly Roll would come to an event like this just to support me.
"He's the type of guy we used to look up to, and we still look up to. Just to be in Tennessee, playing in Tennessee, and Jelly Roll grew up in Tennessee and is a fan of the Tennessee Titans and a fan of mind, it is just a blessing. I am blessed to be in Jelly Roll's circle, it is amazing. To have Jelly Roll here, it's big."
Simmons – and Titans fans watching NFL Honors on television – later got a big kick out of seeing Jelly Roll take the stage at the awards show.
With Snoop Dogg decked out in a Steelers uniform, Jelly Roll came out in a Titans uniform, including shoulder pads and pants, carrying his Titans helmet.
"If anyone deserves a shot in this league, it's me," Jelly Roll, wearing No. 93, said to Snoop Dogg. "Forget the Tush Push, your team needs the Jelly Belly."
"We may need to add Jelly Roll to the d-line," Simmons said with a smile. "He can add some depth for that."
Veteran quarterback Jameis Winston, who played with the Browns in 2024, ran into Jelly Roll on the Red Carpet and offered these words: "Titan Up – I'm going to be their quarterback next year."
With a smile, Jelly Roll, who has recently lost 140 pounds and plans to lose another 100, said he'll be ready if the Titans need him.
"I can give them as many snaps as they need," Jelly Roll said. "Titan Up, baby."
