Cam Ward and Jefferey Simmons got into it at Tennessee Titans practice on Monday.
On Wednesday, Ward addressed the scuffle with reporters. To the Titans quarterback, it was no big deal. In fact, Ward said, it was fun.
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Here’s what he had to say Wednesday when asked if he’d learned anything from the scuffle:
“Did I learn anything from it? Jeff’s strong as s***,” Ward quipped.
Ward went on to say that the scuffle was good for the team and indicated that there’s no ill will between him and Simmons.
“It was fun. At the same time, I think it was what we needed, though,” Ward continued. “We love competing, especially with me and Jeff. I’m excited to have that man as my teammate.
“I can’t wait to see what he do on Sundays. I already know what he’s about. But I can see the real thing coming soon.”
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Simmons didn’t address the dustup with media. But unless he’s got a different version than Ward, things appear to be just fine between Tennessee’s No. 1 pick rookie quarterback and its three-time Pro Bowl defensive captain.
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What happened
There’s no published video of the scuffle. But multiple reporters were on the scene and provided an account of the incident that took place during a red-zone drill.
According to A to Z Sports’ Easton Freeze, Ward threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Calvin Ridley. After the pass, Ward shoved Simmons in the back. Ward then hit him with his signature “Zombieland” celebration that he made famous as a Heisman Trophy finalist at Miami.
Per ESPN, Simmons responded with a two-hand shove to Ward’s facemask, prompting Ward’s offensive teammates to come to his defense. Simmons lost his helmet during the fracas and left the field when it was subdued. He did not return to the drill, which was over after two more plays, per the report.
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Cornerback Jarvis Brownlee was on the field and offered his perspective of the scuffle on Monday. Like Ward, Brownlee chalked the incident up as a positive while praising Ward’s and Simmons’ competitive fire.
“I feel like it’s a great thing,” Brownlee said. “When you’ve got great teams, brothers fight. At the end of the day, as long as we all have got each other’s back, we all connected.
“We all got that bond. We all got that same connection where we’re gonna fight for one another, that’s the most important thing at the end of the day.”
Ward and Simmons, meanwhile, already have an established off-field relationship. Simmons has taken Ward fishing and posted a photo of the two on a boat in July.
So all does appear to be fine among Tennessee’s offensive and defensive leaders. The next step will be translating their practice intensity to a tough Week 1 matchup on the road against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 7.
