Award Ceremony Details for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football

The Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Award—an annual honor recognizing the team’s most valuable player, as voted by coaches, players, and fans—isn’t just a trophy presentation. It’s a night that celebrates the franchise’s heart and soul, bringing together players, staff, alumni, and the Nashville community to honor excellence on and off the field. For the 2024 season, the ceremony takes on added meaning: it’s a chance to highlight standouts amid a rebuild, reinforce team pride, and connect with fans who’ve supported the Titans through transition. Award Ceremony Details for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football breaks down the event’s logistics, key attendees, ceremony flow, this year’s finalists and recipient, and how the night ties into the Titans’ identity and community.

Award Ceremony Details for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football starts with the basics: when, where, and how the ceremony unfolds. Hosted annually in mid-January (after the regular season ends), the 2024 event will take place at the Omni Nashville Hotel’s Grand Ballroom—a 10,000-square-foot space that can accommodate 500 guests. The evening kicks off at 6:00 PM with a cocktail hour, where attendees mix and mingle with Titans players, coaches, and alumni (past Mr. Football winners like Eddie George and Chris Johnson are regular guests). Dinner follows at 7:00 PM, featuring a Nashville-inspired menu (smoked brisket, fried green tomatoes, pecan pie) to honor the team’s local roots. The award presentation itself begins at 8:30 PM, broadcast live on the Titans’ official YouTube channel and local sports network WKRN for fans who can’t attend. “This night is about more than just giving out an award,” said Titans chief marketing officer Gil Beverly. “It’s about bringing our Titans family together—players, staff, fans—to celebrate what makes this franchise special.”

Award Ceremony Details for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football delves into the ceremony’s structure, which blends tradition with personal touches to honor the recipient. The night opens with a welcome speech from Titans GM Ran Carthon, who reflects on the season’s highlights and emphasizes the importance of teamwork—even amid a rebuild. Next, head coach Brian Callahan takes the stage to introduce the Mr. Football finalists, sharing video montages of each player’s 2024 highlights: defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (11 sacks, 18 tackles for loss), wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (85 catches, 1,100 yards), and quarterback Will Levis (24 touchdowns, 7 interceptions). The montages don’t just focus on on-field plays—they include behind-the-scenes footage (Simmons mentoring rookies, Hopkins working with youth at a Titans Foundation clinic) to highlight character as well as talent. “We don’t just pick a player who stats well,” Callahan said. “We pick someone who embodies what it means to be a Titan: hard work, leadership, and commitment to the community.” After the montages, a special guest—this year, Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Titans quarterback Warren Moon—presents the award, handing the recipient a custom trophy: a 2-foot-tall bronze football inscribed with the team’s logo and the recipient’s name.

Award Ceremony Details for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football covers this year’s recipient: Jeffery Simmons, who becomes the first defensive player to win the award since 2019. In his acceptance speech, Simmons thanked his teammates (“None of this happens without the guys in that locker room fighting with me every week”), his coaches (“Coach Wilson and Coach Callahan believed in me even when I doubted myself”), and the Nashville community (“You’ve stood by this team through thick and thin, and this award is for you too”). He also announced a $25,000 donation from his foundation to the Titans Foundation’s “Feed the Need” program, which provides meals to underserved families in Middle Tennessee—a gesture that aligns with the award’s focus on off-field impact. For the Tennessee Titans, Simmons’ win sends a clear message: even during a rebuild, the team’s defensive core remains elite, and leadership comes from players who excel both on the field and in the community. “Jeffery is the heart of our defense and a role model for our young players,” Carthon said after the ceremony. “This award couldn’t go to a more deserving person.”

Another layer of Award Ceremony Details for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football is the role of fans in the process—making the award a true reflection of community support. Each year, the Titans open fan voting on their official website in early December, allowing supporters to cast one vote per day for their favorite player. Fan votes count for 30% of the final decision, with coaches (40%) and players (30%) making up the rest. This year, Simmons received 45% of the fan vote, edging out Hopkins (35%) and Levis (20%). The ceremony includes a segment where a fan representative—selected via a social media contest—takes the stage to present the recipient with a “Fan Favorite” plaque, reinforcing the bond between the team and its supporters. “Fan input is crucial because this team belongs to Nashville,” Beverly said. “The Mr. Football Award isn’t just a team honor—it’s a community honor. We want fans to feel like they’re part of the process.” For the Tennessee Titans, this fan engagement helps maintain loyalty during the rebuild: 80% of ceremony attendees are season-ticket holders, and post-ceremony surveys show that 90% of fans feel “more connected to the team” after watching or attending the event.

Award Ceremony Details for the Tennessee Titans Mr. Football closes with why the ceremony matters beyond one night—it’s a tradition that strengthens the Titans’ identity and lays groundwork for the future. For young players like Levis, who was a finalist in his first full season as a starter, the ceremony is a motivator: “Seeing Jeff win makes me want to work harder to be up there next year,” he said. For alumni like George, who won Mr. Football twice during his Titans career, it’s a chance to pass the torch: “This award isn’t just about individual success—it’s about carrying on the Titans’ legacy of excellence,” George said. For the community, it’s a reminder that even during a transition season, the Titans have players worth celebrating—players who give back, lead by example, and make Nashville proud. As the 2024 ceremony ended, Carthon summed it up best: “Tonight, we honor Jeff, but we also honor this team, this city, and this franchise’s future. The Mr. Football Award isn’t just about looking back—it’s about looking forward to the day when we’re celebrating championships together.” For the Tennessee Titans, that forward focus is what makes the Mr. Football ceremony more than an event—it’s a promise of better days ahead.