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Titans' Ward, Simmons scuffle during practice

Johnnie Izquierdo / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward and Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons got into a scuffle during Monday's practice.

It all started after Ward threw a touchdown pass to receiver Calvin Ridley. The first-year QB then celebrated the play by giving Simmons a shove and doing his signature "Zombieland" celebration in front of the defender, according to ESPN's Turron Davenport.

Simmons responded with a two-hand push to Ward's facemask. Titans offensive linemen took an issue with Simmons' reaction and came to the passer's defense.

"You don't want your quarterback there, period," Tennessee guard Peter Skoronski said Monday, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. "(Ward has) got to know to be smart and not bark up the wrong trees. But then again, we're not hitting our quarterback, either. I don't care what he does."

Ward and Simmons have seemingly become close since the Titans drafted the signal-caller first overall in April. They shared a photo together July 31.

"Brothers fight," cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. said. " ... You never want to see your quarterback in the middle of those kinds of things. But when it does happen, it shows you the kind of dog he has in him. He ain't going to take nothing."

Simmons is entering his seventh season in the NFL. He's been a cornerstone of Tennessee's defense, having claimed three Pro Bowl nods and two second-team All-Pro berths since joining the team as a first-round pick in 2019.

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