Jeffery Simmons fulfills promise, returns to give back to Mississippi hometown

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle and former Mississippi State star Jeffery Simmons always wanted to give back to his former high school. He finally got the opportunity this past week, as he paid for renovations to the fieldhouse at Noxubee County High School and provided new equipment for the team.

Simmons had the idea of giving back ever since he was a manager for the varsity team during his middle school days in Macon, Mississippi. He remembers walking around the fieldhouse and looking at rusty weights and beat-up bars and vowing to make a change if he ever had the chance.

After he cut down the ribbon to open the new Jeffery B. Simmons Fieldhouse, he tried to put into words what the moment meant to him.

“It’s bigger than football,” Simmons said Saturday. “It’s not all about just these young kids seeing us play on Thursdays, Monday nights and Sundays. These kids matter. The town of Starkville matters. The town of Macon matters.”

The unveiling in Macon was only the start of an eventful week back home for Simmons. His high school wasn’t the only place he gave back to, as he also traveled to Starkville to sign a $75,000 check for Starkville Parks and Recreation toward a new turf field at the Starkville Sportsplex.

The new fieldhouse was also used through the weekend for Simmons’ third-annual youth camp. Former Mississippi State football players Elgton Jenkins, Tyre Phillips, JT Gray and Gerri Green were also in attendance at the camp. All four of those players also grew up playing high school football in Mississippi.

After his time with the Bulldogs, Simmons was selected 19th overall to the Titans in the 2019 NFL Draft. He has since gone on to become a starter on the Tennessee defensive line and finished last year with career highs in tackles (54) and sacks (8.5) to earn his first Pro Bowl appearance. Now Jeffery Simmons is using his success to help make his home state of Mississippi a better place for young athletes.