Rich Reacts to the Titans’ Handling of Jordan Elliott’s Release Following DT’s Gun Incident

Some headlines stop you cold. Rich admitted the one out of Tennessee did exactly that.

Titans defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, one of the team's better defensive players, reportedly got into an argument with a teammate, went to the parking lot and grabbed a gun out of his car. Tennessee is an open carry state, Rich noted, but Elliott was apparently brandishing the weapon. He was caught, and the Titans released him.

Rich has never been shy about where he stands on firearms. He has been vocal on the show about stopping gun violence and believes guns are "way too prevalent in this country." He said he would leave it at that. The reason he brought the story up was what came next: head coach Robert Saleh stepping to the microphone and explaining how the organization handled it.

Rich called Saleh's answer "as A++ as it gets," and played it in full.

Saleh opened by crediting the Titans and the NFL for pausing. "This is a man who's a father, a great husband," Saleh said. "He's never committed a crime in his entire life. And he pulled a gun in the parking lot."

Then he asked the question he believes everyone forgets to ask. "Why would a great man, a great father, a man who shows up on time every day, works his ass off every day, contributes the way he's supposed to contribute, is well-liked in the locker room, why did he go off the rails and grab a gun?"

To Saleh, those were signs of "a cry of help." He pointed out that the NFL has lost two outstanding young men in the last year who took their own lives, men who may have been crying for help while everyone ignored it. He was careful not to say that is where Elliott was. "These kids go through a lot," he said.

Saleh acknowledged that rules are rules when it comes to guns on team property. But he also called out "the knee-jerk reaction of kicking somebody when they're down," and then made a pitch you rarely hear from a coach who just cut a player.

"My message to 31 other teams would be if you need a hell of a run-stopping D-tackle that can help you on a playoff run, give me a call," Saleh said. "I'll tell you everything you need to know about him. He's a good man, had a terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act."

Rich said the sound bite speaks for itself. He commended Saleh, while recognizing it was clearly untenable for Elliott to stay in Tennessee.

The bigger point, for Rich, is what this says about the coach. "This is why I think players love playing for Robert Saleh," he said. He believes the way Saleh handled it is exactly why Tennessee is going to become something of a destination for other players. Rich called Saleh one of his favorite people he has gotten to meet in the National Football League.