Key Takeaways
- The Tennessee Titans released defensive tackle Jordan Elliott after reviewing his Oct. 15 confrontation with offensive tackle J.C. Latham at the team facility.
- Elliott allegedly headed to his vehicle to retrieve a firearm after the practice fight, but teammate John Franklin-Myers intervened before anyone was hurt.
- Metro Nashville police said no one filed a report, while Nazir Stackhouse is expected to take on a larger role in Tennessee’s defensive line rotation.
The Tennessee Titans have released defensive tackle Jordan Elliott after a heated confrontation with a teammate that allegedly escalated to the point that he pulled a gun from his car.
The team announced Elliott's release on Tuesday (Oct. 20), five days after an altercation at its practice facility involving offensive tackle J.C. Latham.
"On Thursday, October 15th, there was an incident at our team facility involving Jordan Elliott," the Titans said in a statement. "Following our review of the incident, we have made the decision to release Elliott from our roster. We will have no further comment on the matter."
According to A to Z Sports, the situation began during Thursday's practice when Elliott and Latham, Tennessee's 2024 first-round draft pick, got into a physical confrontation. Elliott reportedly continued shouting at Latham afterward, prompting the team to remove him from practice.
Elliott allegedly threw down his equipment before leaving the field and heading toward the players' parking garage.
The report claims Elliott went to his vehicle to retrieve a firearm with the alleged intention of bringing it back inside the facility. However, fellow defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers reportedly followed Elliott to the garage and convinced him not to take the weapon from his car.
No injuries were reported, and the situation ended without a confrontation involving a firearm.
An NFL source who spoke with KPRC2 described the incident as an alarming escalation, claiming Elliott had been dealing with issues outside of football.
"This was so crazy. Jordan has been having a lot of problems away from the building and obviously he brought it to work with him," the source said. "There was no reason for him to go off like that. Everyone thought that was wild. To overreact like that is absolutely crazy... We're just glad that no one got hurt and it's over."
Following the confrontation, Elliott was absent from Friday's practice. Titans head coach Robert Saleh told reporters at the time that the defensive lineman "was dealing with some personal stuff."
He later elaborated on what happened, confirming that Elliott did in fact pull a gun, while also defending his character.
“Unfortunately, rules are rules with regard to guns on property, and sometimes it’s far greater than the knee-jerk reaction of kicking somebody when they’re down,” he said, per the Associated Press.
“He’s a good man. Made a terrible, had a terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act,” he added. “He’s never committed a crime in his entire life and he pulled a gun, in the parking lot.
Elliott was subsequently inactive for Tennessee's Week 6 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The organization reportedly reviewed security footage from its facility before deciding to release him.
Metro Nashville police told A to Z Sports on Tuesday afternoon that they had not received a report about the incident and had not been contacted by the Titans.
Elliott, a third-round selection by the Cleveland Browns in the 2020 NFL Draft, spent four seasons in Cleveland before joining the San Francisco 49ers. He signed a two-year, $8 million contract with Tennessee in March, reuniting with Saleh. The 28-year-old appeared in five games for the Titans this season, recording 11 combined tackles and making one start.
With Elliott no longer on the roster, defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse is expected to take on an expanded role after filling in against Indianapolis.
