The NFL received league-shaking news when the Tennessee Titans parted ways with Jeffery Simmons, trading him to the Chicago Bears in a blockbuster trade. But interest in the superstar defensive tackle came from multiple teams.

Among them, the New York Giants wanted to leave no stone unturned. To that end, social media users were surprised to learn that new head coach John Harbaugh even attempted to contact the owner to strike a deal.

Social Media Users Perplexed by John Harbaugh Contacting Titans Owner

The report came directly from Jonathan Jones of The Athletic: “John Harbaugh directly called Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk in an attempt to trade for Jeffery Simmons. The call came after GM Mike Borgonzi told Joe Schoen that Simmons wasn’t available.”

PFN’s NFL Defensive Tackle Impact metrics rank him No. 1 in 2026 after he finished No. 1 in 2025; Simmons could be a legitimate franchise-altering piece for any team that he goes to.

The Giants, at 4-2-1, are leading the NFC East and could be a serious threat to make the playoffs. As a result, Simmons was clearly someone they valued. But even after their repeated probes, no deal came to pass.

As a result,one user mocked, “Zero motion,” while another user added, “He chose New York over them and expected a favor in return.”

This offseason, Harbaugh was one of the most coveted head-coaching candidates, and he ultimately chose the Giants as his landing spot. And Harbaugh’s moves have generated some confused reactions on social media.

“Bro is always undermining Shoen lmfao,”one user pointed out, while others were confused by Harbaugh’s moves.

“If only the giants had a run stuffing DT with sack ability,”one user alluded to it, as another user directly asked, “Traded Dexter [Lawrence] to then trade for Jeff? Ok.”

But for some observers, Harbaugh’s move had the potential to create friction between the Giants and other NFL decision-makers. Titans beat writer Easton Freeze explained the two possible scenarios that could emerge from it.

“1. I’d bet the Titans front office (and others around the league) really aren’t fond of this move by Harbaugh,” he wrote. “2. The Giants being seriously in on Simmons right now was a dumb idea. I don’t endorse that kind of swing for them at all. Mistake avoided imo.”

For one user, the trade not coming to fruition was part of a continuing pattern with the head coach, as he claimed, “We really need to look into why teams don’t like trading w John Harbaugh.”

It remains to be seen what the days leading up to the trade deadline look like for the Giants. But as things currently stand, they have shown incredible promise in their first season under Harbaugh, even while dealing with some devastating injuries.