On Thursday, October 15, 2026, during a Tennessee Titans practice, defensive tackle Jordan Elliott became involved in an altercation with offensive tackle JC Latham. After the disagreement, Elliott was directed off the field. He left the facility area, went to the players’ parking lot, and retrieved (or attempted to retrieve) a firearm from his vehicle. Security footage captured the sequence. The gun never left Elliott’s parking spot. Veteran defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers intervened and de-escalated the situation.
The NFL strictly prohibits firearms at team or league facilities. After an internal review, the Titans released Elliott on Tuesday, October 20.
Elliott, a 28-year-old seven-year NFL veteran who had signed a two-year deal in the offseason and appeared in the Titans’ first five games, had already been listed as dealing with personal issues and was inactive for the team’s Week 6 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
On Wednesday, October 21, head coach Robert Saleh addressed the matter at length in his press availability. He confirmed the core details, that Elliott went to retrieve a gun in the parking lot after the spat, and praised the organization’s and league’s handling, saying they “did an outstanding job with regards to pausing” and connecting Elliott with help.
Saleh went on to repeatedly highlight Elliott’s character: a father and “great husband” who “has never committed a crime in his entire life,” shows up on time, works hard, contributes, and is well-liked in the locker room.
Saleh framed the episode as “a terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act.” Saleh asked why “a great man, a great father… would go off the rails and grab a gun,” calling those “small signs of a cry for help” and noting that “obviously there’s something greater happening.”
Saleh said, "I will stand on the table for Jordan's character, unfortunately rules are rules when it comes to guns on property."
He referenced two recent NFL player suicides, saying players “go through a lot” and that cries for help are sometimes ignored. While acknowledging that “rules are rules with regards to guns on property” and that the release was required, he said the response should not be limited to “the knee-jerk reaction of kicking somebody when they’re down.” He explicitly offered to vouch for Elliott to other teams: “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. He’s a good man.”
Robert Saleh's statement about Jordan Elliott's release from the team following an attempt to retrieve a gun from his car after a spat with his Titans teammate: https://t.co/pF3BFPopiV
— ESPN (@espn) October 21, 2026
Again, this is a player who, after having a confrontation with an offensive lineman at practice went to retrieve a handgun he had brought to the facility in his vehicle.
Saleh’s comments have drawn sharply divided reactions.
Supporters view the remarks as a model of modern coaching and mental-health awareness. Some media accounts and fans have called them respectful, classy, or “what you want in a coach,” praising Saleh for refusing to reduce a person to one bad decision, for highlighting prior good behavior and personal stressors, and for prioritizing getting Elliott help amid broader concerns about player suicides.
Teammates have echoed elements of this view; All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons described Elliott as an “unbelievable teammate” and spoke to the importance of mental-health support. A number of observers interpret Saleh’s public endorsement as at least partly directed at Elliott himself, offering a path forward and signaling that one moment need not end a career or define a life, rather than purely as a recruitment pitch.
Others found Saleh's comments unbecoming of the position. "Unfortunately rules are rules when it comes to guns on propertly" seems somewhat in denial about the seriousness of the situation and what could have happened.
One thing is certain, it is a great thing that fellow defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers was present, saw what Elliott was doing and was able to intervene and de-escalate the situation. Had he not, this could have been one of the worst tragedies ever to occur at an NFL facility.
The rules were established for good reason. The Titans had to release him.
It will be interesting to see if another team will sign him now following Saleh's praise for this "great father...great husband".
Update> JC Latham, the offensive lineman who was involved in the on-field confrontation stated today that there had never been any argument leading up to this. Latham said he hasn't reached out to Elliott but said he hasn't "had a chance to reach out" to Elliott. When asked if he hoped to in the future, "Yeah, if given the opportunity." Adding, "You just pray for a guy like that...hope for the best for him."
JC Latham, who was the source of Jordan Elliott’s frustration that led to the gun incident, speaks on the situation. Says they’d never had an argument before that. They were cool. Praying for him and sees it as a lapse of judgement. https://t.co/M7WH86TELY
— AtoZ Sports Nashville (@AtoZSports) October 21, 2026