News Article
Published
Oct 20, 2026 at 11:25 AM EDT
The Tennessee Titans finally got their first win of the 2026 season on Sunday, rallying from a 13-0 halftime deficit to beat the Indianapolis Colts 26-20.
It was a major breakthrough for Robert Saleh, securing his first win as Titans head coach, and Cam Ward, who had been the most criticized quarterback in the NFL amid Tennessee's 0-5 start to the season.
But Tuesday morning, just two days after the big-time win, the Titans announced they had released defensive tackle Jordan Elliott after reviewing an incident at the team's facility on Thursday, Oct. 15. Elliott had missed Friday's practice for personal reasons before being listed as inactive for Sunday's win in Indianapolis. The team has yet to provide any further details about the incident.
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Elliott is a 28-year-old defensive tackle who came into the league as the Browns' third-round pick in 2020 after a college career split between Texas and Missouri. He spent his first four seasons in Cleveland before joining the 49ers in 2024, and then signed with the Titans in March after two seasons in San Francisco, where he was coached by Saleh.
Now in his seventh NFL season, Elliott has appeared in 102 games with 65 starts, including 16 starts last year with the 49ers. He's recorded 159 combined tackles, including 71 solo, 11 tackles for loss, 14 quarterback hits, five sacks, and five pass breakups over his career. Through five games this season, he had already made one start and posted 11 total tackles.
Elliott wasn't a regular starter, but he was a veteran player with experience working in Saleh's system, a potentially valuable addition for a team still trying to climb out of the bottom of the AFC South.
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As for what led to the move, the exact circumstances remain unclear. Elliott's absence for personal reasons came just before the reported facility incident, but the Titans haven't explained what happened. But the abrupt decision to release a player they signed to a two-year, $8 million deal just months ago suggests the organization viewed the situation as quite significant.