Titans Release Jordan Elliott After Gun Incident at Team Facility; Saleh Calls It 'a Call for Help'

The Tennessee Titans released defensive tackle Jordan Elliott on Tuesday, Oct. 20, after an incident at the team facility on Thursday, Oct. 15. The team's statement said only that there was "an incident" involving Elliott, that a review followed, and that the team would have "no further comment."

On Wednesday, Oct. 21, coach Robert Saleh filled in the blank. Elliott "pulled a gun, in the parking lot," Saleh told reporters.

What happened on Oct. 15

Elliott and offensive lineman JC Latham had an altercation on the practice field. A person briefed on the matter told The Associated Press that Elliott then went to the parking lot to retrieve a gun from his car. Sources also told A to Z Sports that Elliott was seen leaving the locker room upset before going to the players' parking garage.

Defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers stepped in and helped Elliott regain his composure. According to those accounts, the situation was calmed before anyone confronted anyone with the weapon. Latham, who said he was still on the practice field when Franklin-Myers intervened, has not described any threat.

"There ain't never been no bad blood between us two," Latham said Wednesday. "We actually had never had an argument leading up to it." He called it a "heat of the moment" flare-up and said it was nothing personal on his end.

Saleh called Franklin-Myers' intervention "really admirable."

Police and the league

Nashville police were not called. A department spokesperson said no report had been filed and the team had made no contact about the incident. No charges have been announced.

The NFL is reviewing the matter. League spokesperson Brian McCarthy said in a statement: "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 club promptly notified the league of the matter which is under review."

The league has not said whether it will impose additional discipline. Elliott's agent and the players' union could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Saleh's defense of Elliott

Saleh spent much of his press conference vouching for the player he coached in San Francisco and brought to Nashville.

"He's a good man. Had a terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act," Saleh said. "He's never committed a crime in his entire life."

The coach said the obvious question is why a well-liked father who shows up on time and works hard would "go off the rails and grab a gun." He called it "small signs of a cry for help" and said, "Obviously, there's something greater happening."

Saleh said he could not say whether a mental health issue was involved. He referenced cases of NFL players killing themselves and added, "I'm not saying that's where he was, but these kids go through a lot." He said the team and the league provided clinicians for Elliott. The gap between the incident and Tuesday's release, Saleh said, came because "we wanted to make sure we got him all the help he needs."

The coach also drew a line on the policy. "Unfortunately, rules are rules with regard to guns on property," he said, adding that it was bigger than "the knee-jerk reaction of kicking somebody when they're down." On whether Elliott could stay: "Rules are rules, it can't be here."

His pitch to the rest of the league was direct. "My message to 31 other teams would be if you need a helluva run-stopping D-tackle that can help you on a playoff run, give me a call," Saleh said. "[Elliott] deserves another chance."

The player and the contract

Elliott signed a two-year, $8 million free-agent deal with Tennessee in March. He followed Saleh from San Francisco, where he started 29 of 31 games over two seasons on a two-year, $7 million contract. The Cleveland Browns drafted him in the third round in 2020.

This season he played in the first five games, with one start and 11 tackles. The Titans listed him inactive for Sunday's Week 6 game for "not injury related, personal" reasons. Over his career he has appeared in 102 games with 65 starts, 159 tackles and five sacks.

Nazir Stackhouse took most of Elliott's snaps against the Colts and played well, according to A to Z Sports.

What comes next

The Titans have closed the matter on their end. The open questions sit with the NFL: whether its review leads to any league discipline, and whether any club takes up Saleh's offer and signs a player cut over a gun at work.

Elliott has not publicly commented. His agent has not responded to requests for comment.