The Tennessee Titans cut defensive lineman Jordan Elliott after he took a gun to the team’s training facility in a “terrible lapse of judgment,” officials said Wednesday.
Titans coach Robert Saleh defended Elliott and called him “a good man” who deserves another chance — just not in Tennessee.
“He’s a good man [who] had a terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act,” Saleh told reporters. “It’s unfortunate the way it went down.”
Union officials and Elliott’s agent could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
It wasn’t immediately clear what might have prompted Elliott to take a firearm to the team’s Nashville headquarters.
Nashville police were not called and did not respond to the scene, the police department said Wednesday.
“The league’s firearm policy prohibits any personnel from bringing a firearm to club facilities, stadiums, and team hotels and on team planes or buses,” the NFL said in a statement Wednesday. “The club promptly notified the league of the matter which is under review.”
Elliott had played in Tennessee’s first five games this season before he was listed as inactive Sunday for “not injury related, personal” reasons.
Then, by Tuesday, he was off the team.
“On Thursday, October 15, 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.”
Elliott signed with Tennessee in the offseason, following two years with the San Francisco 49ers and four previous campaigns with the Cleveland Browns.
Elliott’s move to Nashville made for a reunion with Titans first-year coach Saleh, who was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator last season.
Saleh said that he hopes Elliott can sign with another team and that he’d vouch for his character.
“Unfortunately, rules are rules with regards to guns on [team] property,” Saleh said.
“My message to 31 other teams would be: If you need a hell of a run-stopping D tackle that can help you on a playoff run, give me a call. I’ll tell you everything you need to know about him.”
Elliott, 28, a Houston native, played college football for the Texas Longhorns and the Missouri Tigers before he was taken by Cleveland in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft.
“At the end of the day, we’re all humans,” quarterback Cam Ward said. “We’re all with him. I mean, he’s a great person.”