Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons already knows what kind of trash talk he’ll be hurling Caleb Williams’ way when the Tennessee Titans square off against the Chicago Bears Week 1.
Williams, the No. 1 overall pick by the Bears in April, has received tons of hype heading into his rookie campaign. More is sure to come with the Bears being the subject of HBO’s "Hard Knocks" during training camp.
But the world has already seen Williams’ confidence during his time at USC and the NFL Scouting Combine.
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Simmons will be leaning on Williams’ personal style on and off the field.
"'Painted nails.' I can't wait to say that to him," Simmons told Rich Eisen on "The Rich Eisen Show." "Most definitely. Oh, it's gonna be one of them games. I mean, he probably gets smack-talked by his teammates right now, but especially a game like that. ... It's gonna be the first game of the season. They've got us coming to Chicago. All the hype's gonna be around them, of course. I think when special, even prime-time games … everybody just counts Tennessee out, which we all know.
"A game like Chicago, I'm sure [they're] thinking we 'bout to get beat bad. That also makes me even talk more smack and boosts me up a little more, get into a different mode as well. I'll be in a different mode that game."
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Simmons said he understands the hype around Williams, who he called "a great player." However, he’s ready to give him that "welcome-to-the-league" moment. And if that means trash-talking how he likes to paint his nails, then so be it.
"It's a different league, and I'm excited to play him the first game."
Williams knows there’s a target on his back this season. It’s always the case for a first overall pick in the NFL Draft. But there’s even more onus on him performing well because GM Ryan Poles has surrounded him with tons of talent, including D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, Cole Kmet and others on offense.
Chicago has a chance to become this year’s Houston Texans, a team that had a big turnaround last season due to solid rookie quarterback play from C.J. Stroud alongside solid talent at the skill positions.
And players like Simmons, who will be rushing the quarterback every play, are going to try to get in Williams’ head.
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