Titans cut Jordan Elliott after he retrieved gun during practice fight

The Tennessee Titans have released defensive lineman Jordan Elliott. The decision follows an incident during last Friday's practice where the 28-year-old veteran retrieved a gun from his car.

Head coach Robert Saleh confirmed the sequence of events in a statement to reporters on Monday. He said Elliott and offensive tackle JC Latham got into an altercation. After the dispute, Elliott went to his vehicle in the parking lot and brought a firearm back to the field.

Saleh described Elliott as a father and husband who had never committed a crime before. He called the action a small sign of a cry for help. "This is a man who is a father, a great husband; he’s never committed a crime in his entire life, and he pulled a gun in the parking lot," Saleh said. "Why did he go off the rails and grab a gun? To me, those are small signs of a cry of help, in terms of obviously there’s something greater happening."

The team worked with the NFL to get Elliott help immediately after the incident. Saleh said the coaching staff resisted the urge to take immediate disciplinary action. However, the coach noted that the team had to follow the rules.

"Rules are rules," Saleh said. Elliott’s actions violated league policy, which led to his release from the franchise. Elliott is a seventh-year veteran who signed a free-agent deal with Tennessee before the start of this season.

The release ends Elliott's time with the Titans after a brief stint in Nashville. The team will now look to fill the defensive line role. The move comes as the NFL continues to manage the roster for the remainder of the season.

The incident occurred during a regular practice session. No shots were fired during the altercation. The league's policy on firearms in team facilities was the guiding factor for the coaching staff's decision to cut ties with the player.