Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said he is grateful none of his family members were home when burglars broke into his house while the team was in Santa Clara, California, to face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night.
Simmons, speaking Thursday for the first time since his home was broken into, said he called authorities when he arrived home from California early Monday morning.
According to Simmons, various items were stolen from his home. But he's glad no one was harmed during the burglary.
"It makes you realize that all the material things they took don't matter," Simmons said. "I'm just grateful my mom or none of my family members were in the house. They had guns. The only thing I think about is what if my mom was there."
Simmons is the Titans' 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for his extensive community outreach through his foundation, Give Em a Reason, which aims to provide opportunities for the youth to build their confidence to help them succeed in life.
As he watched the replay of his home being broken into, Simmons said the burglars looked like kids and called them "lost souls." Simmons got emotional as he began explaining why he does his community outreach work and how it could avoid future incidents like his break-in.
"When we talk about the youth, these young boys don't have guidance," Simmons said as he fought through tears. "That's the reason why I try to be in the community so much. You never know if you can say one thing to these kids and maybe pull them out of the streets. It could have happened to anybody. When we talk about community work, I do it to try and impact somebody's life. My message to everybody is to continue to pour into our youth."