For the last two seasons, the Tennessee Titans have fielded calls from teams seeking to acquire defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Until two weeks ago, the organization wasn't interested in listening to those offers and instead signed Simmons to a three-year extension worth over $105 million earlier this year. After a 1-6 start to the season, though, the Titans finally acquiesced.

This week, Simmons was traded to the Chicago Bears for a first- and fourth-round draft pick in 2027, and a first-round pick in 2028. Bears general manager Ryan Poles has known Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi dating back to their days at Boston College and later with the Kansas City Chiefs. Borgonzi knew of his interest in the elite defensive tackle, who became the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history when he signed his extension in June.

The Bears weren't the only team to come calling, though. In a recent report by The Athletic's Jonathan Jones, the New York Giants also attempted to trade for Simmons. First, general manager Joe Schoen reached out to Borgonzi, who told him no.

Then, in a bold move, John Harbaugh decided to call the Titans' owner Amy Adams Strunk directly. He received the same answer because Strunk had previously given the power to make football decisions for the franchise to Borgonzi.

Multiple sources tell The Athletic the Giants head coach called Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk directly in an attempt to trade for the All-Pro defensive tackle, breaking with traditional NFL trade-talk norms.

The Giants have been looking to make a deal ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline, knowing they will go into Week 9 atop the NFC East. General manager Joe Schoen had previously reached out to Titans GM Mike Borgonzi, who told Schoen and other inquiring teams that they wouldn’t trade Simmons.

Harbaugh then opted to call Strunk, the Titans’ controlling owner, in an attempt to get Simmons. Harbaugh got the same message from Strunk, who has empowered Borgonzi to make football decisions for the franchise.

The Giants' structure sees Harbaugh reporting directly to ownership rather than Schoen, which isn't uncommon for veteran coaches, but Harbaugh's reaching out to Titans' ownership and bypassing Borgonzi is what raised eyebrows, as indicated in Jones' report.

One GM who became aware of the call said it violates a code amongst primary football decision-makers, that they will only deal with each other.

While Harbaugh has football decision-making power with the Giants, he should not have reached out to Strunk knowing that Borgonzi was the one making the decisions, and he had already given the Giants' GM an answer. Whether that played a role in the Titans' decision to trade Simmons to Chicago is unknown, but it could have easily put a bad taste in Borgonzi's mouth.

More likely, the Bears offered more than the Giants. It's been widely discussed that the Bears overpaid for the 29-year-old defensive tackle, but that also indicates how serious the Bears are about making a postseason run in 2026.

The Titans must now move forward without the undeniable face of their franchise and their most dominating defensive presence on the field. Simmons will suit up for Chicago on Monday Night Football this week, and the Titans will have to find a way to defend against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals without him.