The Tennessee Titans and standout defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons have agreed to a four-year contract extension, multiple media outlets reported on Friday.

The deal is worth a total of $94million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Simmons was entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract.

The No. 19 overall draft pick in 2019, Simmons has become a key member of the Titans' defense, being named to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro Second Team in each of the last two seasons.

Simmons gave Tennessee fans a bit of a scare on social media earlier on Friday, posting an apparent goodbye to the organisation.

"Titans Nation, thank you for the last 4 years! I am so grateful for you guys…..," Simmons posted on Twitter.

Aware of the ongoing contract negotiations between the Titans and 'Big Jeff', Tennessee fans flocked to the comments looking for answers.

Simmons responded soon after with the other half of his message, seemingly announcing that he will be in Tennessee for the near future.

"But we are not done yet, dammit! LFG!!!! We have so much work to do!" he added in his subsequent post, allowing Titans fans a sigh of relief.

At 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, Simmons has emerged as one of the best interior pass-rushers in pro football, totalling 21 sacks over four seasons, including 8.5 in 2021.

Simmons, who will turn 26 before the start of the season, also has 188 total tackles and 46 quarterback hits in his four years with the Titans.

Newly hired Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon will take some time to assess whether veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill will remain the starter going forwards.

Carthon was hired on Tuesday after six years in the San Francisco 49ers' front office, earning his first general manager role at 41 years old.

He takes over as decision-maker for a Titans franchise that missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 2018, and his first order of business will be assessing the quarterback situation.

Tannehill has guided the Titans to their past three postseason berths, but after going 7-3, 11-5 and 12-5 as a starter in those seasons, he battled injuries and struggled to 6-6 in his 12 games this campaign.

After missing out on the playoffs two weeks ago, Vrabel told reporters he still has faith in Tannehill.

"He is our starting quarterback," he said. "If he is healthy, he is our starting quarterback."

It may not be that simple, however, as Carthon said during his introductory press conference on Friday that he needs more time before deciding on the franchise's future at the sport's most important position.

"We're still evaluating the roster," he said. "Ryan has been great here. He's won a lot of football games. 

"I look forward to us winning football games, but I still need more time to evaluate and make those decisions."

He added: "This is a quarterback-driven league – people are hired and fired every day over that position. 

"I want to spend more time evaluating that position so I will have my own opinion. Then, Mike and I will confer and we'll figure it out."

Behind Tannehill, the Titans also have Malik Willis coming into his second season. The third-round draft pick made three starts in his rookie year, but did not reach 100 passing yards in any of his appearances.

The New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs are the among the five teams set to host matches in London and Germany as part of the NFL's 2023 International Games.

The Buffalo Bills, the Tennessee Titans, and the Jacksonville Jaguars complete the quintet heading to Europe as designated home teams during the 2023 season.

London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will welcome the Bills and the Titans, while the Jaguars return to their home away from home at Wembley Stadium as part of their multi-year commitment to playing in the UK.

The 2023 season will mark a landmark 10th appearance for Jacksonville in London, while the Bills (2015) and Titans (2018) will make their second appearance in the city.

Two games will also take place in Germany, with the Chiefs and the Patriots set to feature, though venues are yet to be confirmed.

The NFL previously announced that Munich, which hosted the clash between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks in 2022, and Frankfurt will stage games in Germany over the next four years.

Details on the dates, opponents and kick-off times will be announced later in the year when the full schedule for the 2023 NFL season is announced.

Ran Carthon has landed his first general manager job with the Tennessee Titans.

News of Carthon's hire in Tennessee was reported by NFL Network on Tuesday.

The 41-year-old had been the San Francisco 49ers' director of player personnel, having previously held a similar role with the Los Angeles Rams.

He had also been a scout with the Atlanta Falcons.

Carthon is replacing Jon Robinson, who was fired in early December.

Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement explaining that decision: "I am proud of what we have accomplished in my eight seasons of ownership, but I believe there is more to be done and higher aspirations to be met."

Robinson had been the GM since 2016, with the team reaching the playoffs in four of his seven seasons.

Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson believes their AFC South title win was made all the sweeter by the team's turbulent past couple of years.

The Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans 20-16 at TIAA Bank Field on Saturday to clinch the AFC South and a first playoffs spot since 2017, a year on from finishing bottom.

That made them only the fifth team since the merger in 1970 to record the league's poorest record one season and then win the division the next year, with the Miami Dolphins the last to achieve it in 2008.

The Jaguars began the 2021 season with five defeats that took their losing streak to 20, the third-longest in NFL history, and in December of that year they eventually fired coach Urban Meyer following a string of scandals and controversies.

Meyer was dismissed while the Jags held a 2-11 record – they finished the season at 3-14, but Pederson has helped transform their fortunes.

It has not been straightforward for the 9-8 Jags though, whose hard-fought victory over the Titans ensured they had recorded both five-game losing and winning runs this season.

"This game tonight kind of symbolises our season," Pederson said. "There were some struggles, there were some highs and lows, but in the end, we had the victory.

"I'm so proud of the guys for the way they have all season long just hung together through the face of adversity.

"Obviously, to be in this position, to be the AFC South champion, and just to know the journey that it took us to get here... it's just a step in the direction that we want to go.

"I want it to be sustainable. I just don't want to be like, 'OK, you were the 2022 champs and not in 2023'. You want to be competing for this division every year.

"But it makes it special just because of the way these guys battled and kind of what they've been through in the last two years."

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the number one overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has undoubtedly played his part after a disappointing first season.

The 23-year-old became only the third Jags QB in NFL history to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a single season, helping the franchise dig their way out of a hole when they found themselves at 2-6 in October.

"Nobody ever lost faith," he told ESPN. "Everyone believed in one another. We never started pointing the finger. We lost five straight, and we just got tighter. After the bye week, we started correcting some things and started rolling. It's cool to see a team come together like we have, and we're just excited to get another opportunity next week.

"It's hard to sum up this season and what we've been able to do. To get an opportunity to go play in the playoffs. Sounds great. Sounds really, really good."

The Jacksonville Jaguars clinched the AFC South division on the back of Saturday's 20-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans where they rallied from a double-digit deficit to extend their win streak.

The victory completes a remarkable turnaround for the Jags, who lost five straight earlier in the season yet rallied to 4-8, before securing five straight wins to top the division ahead of the Titans (7-10).

Tennessee scored the first 10 points of the game but the Jags hit the lead for the first time with 2:51 remaining in the fourth quarter when Rayshawn Jenkins forced a fumble from Titans QB Joshua Dobbs which Josh Allen scooped up for the go-ahead touchdown.

That TD marked a brilliant second-half performance by the Jags' defense, who had four sacks for the game, allowing only three points after trailing 13-7 at half-time.

Jacksonville clinched their fourth division title and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season, having only won four games in the previous two years.

Jags QB Trevor Lawrence was not at his best but threw 20 of 32 passes for 212 yards, including a touchdown pass to Christian Kirk late in the second quarter. Kirk had 99 yards on six receptions.

The Titans had opened up a 10-0 lead from Dobbs' TD pass to Chigoziem Okonkwo with 5:32 left in the second quarter.

Dobbs completed 20 of 29 passes for 179 yards with one TD and one interception from Tyson Campbell, his third of the season, leading to Riley Patterson's field goal to make it 16-13.

Running back Derrick Henry ran for 109 yards on 30 carries for the Titans, who missed the playoffs after seven straight losses.

In preparation for their biggest game of the season, the Tennessee Titans are once again turning to a player who has not even been on the team for two weeks to run the offense.

The Titans are staying with Joshua Dobbs at quarterback for Saturday's clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars in a game that will determine the winner of the AFC South.

Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel made the decision on Monday, four days after Dobbs made his first career start in a 27-13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

“I think he’s ready for the opportunity and looking forward to it,” Vrabel said.

Thursday’s defeat to the Cowboys marked the sixth straight loss for the Titans, dropping them to 7-9 and just behind the 8-8 Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South. The winner of Saturday’s matchup in Jacksonville will secure the division title and fourth seed in the AFC.

Dobbs didn’t do much to impress against the Cowboys, completing 20-of-39 passes for 232 yards with a touchdown and interception. However, he had just been signed off the Detroit Lions' practice squad eight days earlier, so the Titans considered it a good starting point.

"I think that there will be some things that we'll try to add or maybe things that we practiced last week that we didn't run,” Vrabel said. "I think it's just going to be good to have a full week and be able to have first and second down, third down, red zone emphasis — that's probably where him not having been here as much, I think we need to dive into his knowledge of the overall red zone and everything that's going on down there."

Dobbs, a fourth-round selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2017, also showed more promise than rookie Malik Willis, who had taken over at quarterback after Ryan Tannehill was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury.

Willis is 1-2 as a starter while throwing three interceptions without a TD pass. His 234 passing yards in his three starts are two more than Dobbs threw on Thursday.

Willis also had the luxury of playing alongside Derrick Henry in the backfield, while Dobbs played last Thursday without the two-time league rushing leader as he was inactive in Week 17 because of a hip injury.

Henry is slated to return for the winner-take-all matchup with the Jaguars.

Dak Prescott was just glad to get the job done as the Dallas Cowboys kept alive their hopes of winning the NFC East division with a 27-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.

The Cowboys improved to a 12-4 record after capitalising on a series of penalties to lead from start to finish, leaving them hot on the trail of the 13-2 Philadelphia Eagles in their division.

Mike McCarthy's team must now defeat the Washington Commanders in the final game and hope the Eagles lose both of their remaining two to claim top spot.

Prescott threw both touchdown passes for Dalton Schultz, but also stretched his run to six games with an interception, giving up two in the second quarter as the Titans rallied to 10-6 at half-time with two Randy Bullock field goals.

"A win's a win, and we're going to take it and we're going to get better from the mistakes and make sure that we're improving," said Prescott.

"But a road win, short week, you've got to take them all. And style points and all that, that's for all of you who think games are won on paper."

Asked about the preparations required for the Cowboys' potentially pivotal clash with the Commanders, Prescott added: "Obviously get the rest we need, get our bodies back underneath us and then mentally understanding what's to come.

"Take a couple of days or two and get away from it, but know when we come back we've got to finish this season off on the right foot and we've got a long, long run ahead of us that we know we're capable of making."

Prescott completed 29 of 41 attempts for 282 yards with two TDs and two interceptions, tying Troy Aikman with 165 passing TDs for second most in franchise history.

While McCarthy recognised some shortcomings in the team's performance, much like Prescott he was just content to put another win on the board, particularly with a growing injury list.

"I'm in tune with the injuries and all the things that are going on," he said. "All the little stuff. Yeah, it wasn't clean. This was not a clean performance. We recognise that. I'm not disputing that at all.

"But I do know my football team. I know that they came out of a hard victory on Sunday and took a little longer to get their bodies back.

"That's what Thursday night football is. It's a tough challenge. But the most important thing is we answered the bell and we got it done."

Dak Prescott threw two touchdown passes as the Dallas Cowboys kept alive their hopes of winning the NFC East division with a 27-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on Thursday.

The Cowboys capitalised on a series of penalties to lead from start to finish and improve to a 12-4 record, behind the 13-2 Philadelphia Eagles in their division. Dallas need to win their final game against the Washington Commanders and hope the Eagles lose both of their remaining two to top the NFC East.

Prescott threw both TD passes for Dalton Schultz, although he also extended his run to six games with an interception, giving up two in the second quarter as the Titans rallied to 10-6 at half-time with two Randy Bullock field goals.

Ezekiel Elliott, who ran 37 yards on 19 carries, rushed in the game's opening touchdown in the first quarter, extending his run of TDs to nine straight games. CeeDee Lamb brought up 100 yards across 11 receptions.

The Titans slump to their sixth straight loss but remain in playoffs contention at 7-9, with victory next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars to determine the winner of the AFC South.

Titans QB Joshua Dobbs, making his first career start, made 20 of 39 passes for 232 yards with one touchdown, for Robert Woods, and one interception. Prescott completed 29 of 41 attempts for 282 yards with two TDs and two interceptions, tying Troy Aikman with 165 passing TDs for second most in franchise history.

Prescott found Schultz to make it 17-6 in the third quarter after a penalty on third-and-19 against Tre Avery for pass interference on Michael Gallup led to a 51-yard gain, with the Cowboys scoring on the next play. Monty Rice was penalised for roughing the passer on a second-and-10, leading to Schultz's second TD.

Ryan Tannehill looks set to miss the rest of the season as the Tennessee Titans quarterback likely requires surgery on a right-ankle injury.

The one-time Pro Bowler saw his game curtailed during Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, after outside linebacker Khalil Mack landed on his foot.

Tannehill was carted from the field before returning with his ankle heavily strapped, though he was unable to prevent the Titans slipping to a 17-14 defeat.

Reports from ESPN now indicate the 34-year-old's campaign looks to be over, with the former Miami Dolphins man set to undergo an operation for the problem.

It was a right ankle injury that ruled Tannehill out of two games following a week six match with the Indianapolis Colts, bringing Malik Willis into the fold in his place.

The reserve quarterback started in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the Titans have also signed Joshua Dobbs to provide additional backup.

The latter was with the Detroit Lions briefly as part of their practice squad earlier this month, after he was waived following Deshaun Watson's return to the fold at the Cleveland Browns.

Tennessee are 7-7 for the year, and sit atop the AFC South, but have not won in their last four outings to leave their postseason hopes precariously balanced heading into the final few weeks.

They play the Houston Texans on Saturday, before closing games against the Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the latter their main rival to top the division.

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley led the praise for quarterback Justin Herbert after he produced a late game-winning drive, culminating in Cameron Dicker's game-winning field goal in their 17-14 triumph over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Ryan Tannehill had tied the game with a one-yard QB sneak with 48 seconds left before Herbert took control, driving the Chargers forward for 52 yards in six plays, with Dicker nailing the 43-yard field-goal attempt with four seconds left.

Herbert completed 28 of 42 passes for 313 yards, becoming the first player in NFL history with 4,000 pass yards in each of his first three seasons. It was Herbert's fifth game-winning drive this season.

"Your triggerman is the answer for your whole team," Staley told reporters.

"The other thing, if you take a look at the ball game from the sideline, just how into it he was with the defense… he barked at our guys and said, 'I got it. I got it, fellas. You just give us a chance, and we got it.' That's what you want from your triggerman, and that's why I'm proud of him.

"You find out about your quarterback in two-minute, and it was an amazing two-minute drill for him."

The result moves the Chargers into sixth spot in the AFC with an 8-6 record, capitalising on losses for the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets.

The Chargers QB did not throw a touchdown for only the third time in his 46-game NFL career.

Stanley added: "He's not going to be happy with how we play today, and neither am I. That's the other reason why we love him, because he's not satisfied with how we play.

"He has a high standard for performance. You need your best player to play well at the end, and that's what he does."

Herbert, 24, said experience helped him through the game-winning drive, which was the 13th of his three-season career.

"I think it's just one of those things that experience is the best teacher and having gone through that and being able to rep it and knowing that you have the guys around you to make plays," Herbert said.

"Just experiences and knowing that we are going to call the right plays and we're going to get the ball moving."

Some leagues may have started playoffs last week, but with the arrival of Week 15 in the NFL, the fantasy postseason is now firmly in full swing.

The playoffs are a time when you need your star players to deliver, but that is not always possible.

Injuries or bad matchups can put stars in disadvantageous situations, and often fantasy managers are left needing to rely on lesser lights to help them secure glory.

Ahead of the start of a week in which several NFL teams will look to punch their postseason ticket, Stats Perform has picked out four somewhat under-the-radar players, and a defense, who are in a position to help fantasy managers enjoy playoff success.

Quarterback: Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Vikings aren't exactly a sleeper team at 10-3, but as they lost to the Detroit Lions last week, you may have missed that their quarterback had an exceptional statistical game.

Cousins completed 75.6 per cent of his passes (31 of 41) for 425 yards and two touchdowns.

Indianapolis possess a stout defense, but the Colts will provide opposing offenses with opportunities. The Colts' opponents have had 148 drives, tied for the fifth-most in the league. Cousins might have to work harder this week, but the chances for him to have a decisive impact in the fantasy playoffs will certainly come. 

Running Back: Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks

Yes, it's very much Christian McCaffrey's backfield in San Francisco, but on a short week having already lost Deebo Samuel for much of the stretch run due to a high-ankle sprain and an MCL sprain, the 49ers are likely to share the load a little more as they seek to clinch the NFC West title.

Mason will be the man to get the lion's share of carries that are not given to McCaffrey. He had 56 yards on 11 carries in San Francisco's dominant win over Tampa Bay in Week 14 and is averaging 5.5 yards per carry over the last three games, including five rushes of at least 10 yards.

If you are in the playoffs but in a bind at running back, Mason is an intriguing option against a Seahawks defense that has allowed 677 rushing yards over its last three games.

Wide Receiver: Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Dallas Cowboys

The Jaguars remain in with a shot, albeit a small one, of reaching the postseason, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence showing continued signs of developing into the quarterback many have believed he could become since high school.

Eyebrows were raised in the offseason when the Jaguars handed a lucrative contract to Jones, but he has become a favourite target of Lawrence in recent weeks.

Over his last four games, Jones has 43 targets, tied for the sixth-most in the NFL since Week 10. In that span, he has two eight-catch games and an 11-reception performance. He went for 77 yards and a touchdown in last week's win over the Tennessee Titans, two weeks on from a 145-yard effort against the Baltimore Ravens. Against a Dallas defense that struggled to contain the Houston Texans last week, Jones is an extremely strong points per reception play.

Tight End: Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans @ Los Angeles Chargers

Finding a reliable fantasy tight end can be difficult at any point of the year, but it is key for fantasy managers hoping to prevail in the playoffs.

Okonkwo is enjoying an increasingly prominent role in the Titans' passing attack and has 10 receptions on 11 targets for 113 yards and a touchdown over his last two games.

The Chargers kept the Miami Dolphins in check last week, but they are still very susceptible to the pass, and Okonkwo is likely to be a weapon the Titans look to as they aim to exploit that vulnerability.

Defense/Special Teams: Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants

The Commanders have flown under most people's radars this season but are in position to sneak into the playoffs in part thanks to an impressive defense.

Washington's defense ranks tied third in the NFL by success rate allowed and, in a critical matchup with their NFC East rivals in primetime, faces a New York offense that over the last three weeks has averaged just 5.6 yards per pass play (sixth-worst) and 3.8 yards per rush (ninth-worst). If you have the Commanders' defense or are in a position to acquire it, do so.

The Tennessee Titans have fired general manager Jon Robinson, the franchise confirmed on Tuesday.

Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk informed Robinson he was relieved of his duties following a 35-10 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Although 7-5 Tennessee are top of the AFC South, they have suffered back-to-back defeats and the division stands as the weakest in the NFL – with none of the four sides currently on a winning streak.

Vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden will take the reigns for the remainder of the season, with a "comprehensive search" beginning once the campaign is complete.

Adams Strunk said in a statement: "Since becoming controlling owner in 2015, my goal has been to raise the standard for what is expected in all facets of our organisation.

"I believe we have made significant progress both on and off the field through investments in leadership, personnel and new ideas.

"This progress includes the core of our business, the football team itself, which is regularly evaluated both by results (wins and losses) and team construction/roster building.

"I am proud of what we have accomplished in my eight seasons of ownership, but I believe there is more to be done and higher aspirations to be met."

The Titans host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14, with three of their remaining five games taking place in Tennessee.

The Tennessee Titans are at a crossroads in their season, according to head coach Mike Vrabel, after they were thrashed by the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13.

Vrabel saw his team crushed 35-10 at Lincoln Financial Field as the Eagles improved to 11-1 in an outstanding season.

Former Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown, traded to the Eagles on draft day this year, had eight catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns against his former team in a superb display.

For Tennessee, the blowout loss comes on the heels of a narrow loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, dropping them to 7-5.

The Titans are almost certainly going to win a poor AFC South division, but these back-to-back defeats raise substantial questions about Tennessee's ability to contend for postseason success.

"I think we are at a crossroads," Vrabel said. "I told the team I think we are at a crossroads at kind of how we want to continue down this season.

"We can't point fingers. We have to assume that each and every one of us didn't do a good enough job because we didn't.

"We have to come to work with greater energy and greater resolve to prepare to win a football game against a division opponent.

"It sucks losing, it sucks getting beat the way we did but we have to make a decision, how much are we willing to invest and trust in what the coaches are doing, trust in what each of the players are doing. I think it’s a critical time for us."

The Titans will be favoured to get back on track next week when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

The Philadelphia Eagles have the best scoring offense in the NFL, but their strength in that area will be sternly tested by the Tennessee Titans in Week 13.

Philadelphia can clinch a playoff berth this week, though the 10-1 Eagles would require a lot of help to do so at this stage.

Should they prevail against the 7-4 Titans, the Eagles will punch their ticket to the postseason if the Washington Commanders lose and the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks both either lose or tie, providing San Francisco and Seattle both don't tie.

While that scenario may be unlikely, a win for the Eagles over a gritty Titans team would serve as further demonstration of the Super Bowl credentials they have established throughout a superb campaign.

No team in their conference has scored more points than Philadelphia's 303, while they lead the NFL in red-zone efficiency.

In last week's 40-33 win over the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles scored on four of their five trips inside the opposing 20-yard line.

For the season, the Eagles have scored on 29 of 40 trips (72.5 per cent).

Yet this week they face a dogged Titan defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest points in the NFL (198).

The Titans have permitted the sixth-fewest red-zone drives in the league (31, tied with the Minnesota Vikings) and their defense has allowed a touchdown on only 16 of those, that rate of 51.7 per cent the seventh-best in the NFL.

Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts is an X-factor for the Eagles in the congested area of the field, though.

The dual-threat signal-caller has scored eight rushing touchdowns this season, seven of which have come in the red zone. Running back Miles Sanders has eight rushing scores from inside the 20, with defenses struggling to cope when both he and Hurts are in the backfield as threats to run.

Only the 49ers (3.32) have allowed fewer yards per rush than the Titans (3.86) this season, however, with Tennessee one of the teams best-equipped to slow down Hurts and Co.

Should they do so and spring an upset, it will give hope to the chasing pack that Philadelphia can still be caught in the race for the NFC's number one seed.