The Tennessee Titans have released defensive tackle Jordan Elliott after he pulled a gun in the car park of the team facility. Titans coach Robert Saleh confirmed on Tuesday reports that Elliott retrieved a gun from his car following an altercation with offensive tackle JC Latham during practice on 15 October. The 28-year-old did not play in Sunday's victory against the Indianapolis Colts, and the club described the matter only as an "incident."
"Just pause with regards to the news that Jordan had a gun," Saleh said. "This is a man who is a father, a great husband. This is a man who has never committed a crime in his entire life." He added that the episode looked like a cry for help and that "obviously there is something greater happening."
Latham called the altercation an "unfortunate situation" that happened "just in the heat of the moment," adding that there had been no bad blood between the two players beforehand. He stressed the importance of mental health and said he hoped for the best for Elliott.
Elliott, who previously played for San Francisco and Cleveland, has appeared in five games this season. Saleh said he would still recommend him to other teams, saying Elliott could help a playoff team as a run-stopping defensive tackle. "Unfortunately rules are rules with regards to guns on property," Saleh said, "and sometimes it's far greater than the knee-jerk reaction of kicking somebody when they're down."
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing