Chris Simms
Encyclopedia
Christopher David Simms (born August 29, 1980 in Ridgewood, New Jersey
) is an American football
quarterback
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Texas
.
Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos
and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. He is the son of former New York Giants
quarterback and Super Bowl XXI
MVP Phil Simms
.
and attended Ramapo High School there, where he was a standout in both football and basketball. In football, he was a two-time All-State honoree, and was named the 1998 USA Today
National Offensive Player of the Year. Simms graduated from Ramapo High School in 1999. After committing to the University of Tennessee
during his senior year, Simms decommitted and enrolled at the University of Texas instead.
Simms played college football at the University of Texas at Austin
. In a controversial decision, Simms was named starter over Major Applewhite
in 2001, before Applewhite's senior season. After turning the ball over four times in the 2001 Big Twelve Championship Game, Simms gave way to fan favorite Applewhite, who nearly led Texas to a victory against Colorado (Texas lost 37-39). Applewhite later passed for a then school record 473 yards as the starter in the Holiday bowl. Simms played with Cedric Benson
and Roy Williams
his last three years of his college career.
with the expectation that he would eventually be the successor to Brad Johnson
. He was cast 3rd on the Bucs depth chart behind Johnson and former Buccaneers starter Shaun King
. Simms sat his entire rookie year without playing a single snap in the regular season.
In 2004, Simms started the season as the 3rd string quarterback again, this time behind Johnson and former Denver Broncos
and Miami Dolphins
starter Brian Griese
, but quickly advanced to backup quarterback after a poor preseason by Griese
. Simms saw his first action on September 19, 2004 against the Seattle Seahawks
after a below-average performance by Johnson
, coming into the game with 10:32 left in the 2nd quarter. Simms went 21-32 with 175 yards and an interception. Simms received his first start two games later against the New Orleans Saints
on October 10, 2004 after the Bucs started 0-4 and Johnson was benched for his poor performance. Simms went 5-8 for 75 yards but injured his shoulder early in the game and missed three weeks, allowing Brian Griese
to secure the position with 3 straight wins. Simms saw occasional action as the backup QB to Griese and started a meaningless final game against the Arizona Cardinals
where he threw for 224 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.
In 2005, Simms was slated on the depth chart as the backup quarterback, behind Griese
and ahead of former Cleveland Browns
starting quarterback Luke McCown
. Simms got his first snap of the season after Miami Dolphins
linebacker Zach Thomas
was pushed onto Griese's leg with several minutes left in the game on October 16, 2005. Despite the injury, the Buccaneers prevailed 27-13 in the game in which Griese was lost for the season. Simms performed well, completing 6 of 10 passes for 69 yards. Simms got his first start of the season the following week against a weak San Francisco 49ers
squad. While Simms had decent numbers (21-34, 264yds, 1TD, 2INT), his performance was considered poor, as there were many times when he underthrew his receivers, missed open receivers, or incorrectly read the defensive coverage. Simms followed up this performance with about the same performance (25-42, 259, 1TD, 2INT) against the division rival Carolina Panthers
, who were considered a much better team than San Francisco. Since these two losses however, Simms has performed better than expected and has a knack for late-game heroics. He led fourth-quarter charges against fellow division rival Atlanta
twice, as well as the Washington Redskins
. The Redskin game was his best performance of the year as Simms threw for 3 scores as the Buccaneers won 36-35 in a remarkable game. Simms had a much more impressive performance in the rematch against Carolina
on the road. The two losses in this stretch were against the defending Super Bowl
Champion New England Patriots
, and the Chicago Bears
, who were ranked #1 in the league in total defense, and in both of these games, Simms did not throw any interceptions, and was sacked a combined 11 times. He even led Tampa Bay to another fourth-quarter comeback against the Bears but a 29-yard field goal attempt floated wide right giving the Bears a 13-10 victory.
Simms led the Buccaneers to their first playoff berth since their Super Bowl victory in the 2002
. In the rematch vs. the Redskins Simms led Tampa Bay back again from a 17–3 halftime deficit. With the score at 17–10 late in the fourth quarter, Simms hit Edell Shepherd on an apparent 35-yard TD strike. However, Shepherd failed to maintain possession as he hit the ground. Tampa Bay lost 17–10 in a game where Washington gained only 120 yards of offense, the lowest total for a playoff winner in NFL history.
Chris Simms had played well at the end of the 2005 season, and thus came into the 2006 season with high expectations around him. However, for no particular obvious reason, Simms's play in the first two weeks was abysmal. In back-to-back games against the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons, Simms posted up 45 completions on 82 attempts for 446 yards, but had zero touchdowns and six interceptions. He continued to have several of his passes tipped by defensive linemen. Largely due to his inexplicably poor play, the Bucs scored a mere 3 points in two games.
defense. Simms returned to the game and even led a successful scoring drive, but remained in physical distress and was taken to a nearby hospital after the game. Tests revealed a ruptured spleen
, and Simms immediately underwent emergency surgery. In the aftermath, Simms said he lost five pints of blood before the operation and conceded that another 45 minutes without treatment could have been fatal. The injury was caused by an illegal hit from Al Wallace
who was later fined by the NFL. Simms has become a spokesman in the Tampa area for blood donations. Playing on a one-year/$2.1 million contract signed before the season, Simms was eligible for free agency for 2007.
On December 27, 2006, Simms announced that he had signed a two-year extension to remain with the Buccaneers with the expectation that he would start. However, due to complications from his recovery and the performance of Jeff Garcia
in mini-camp, Simms was expected to serve as a backup to Garcia. On October 9, Simms was placed on Injured Reserve for the rest of the season. The Bucs were expected to keep Simms on the roster for mini camp as their fifth quarterback.
Simms' relationship with head coach Jon Gruden
worsened significantly during this period. Simms attributed his lack of playing time to how Gruden treated Simms during his recovery from spleen injury. He has even said that "The relationship between me and coach Gruden, it’s broken," Simms said. "And I don’t see any way it’s going to get better." Simms also said that he will never forgive Gruden, although he still respects the Buccaneers as an organization.
On August 30, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
released Simms. He worked out with the Baltimore Ravens
during the preseason but was not signed.
on September 9, 2008 after starter Vince Young
was sidelined with a sprained MCL. In Young's absence, Simms served as the backup quarterback behind Kerry Collins
until October 3, when Simms was released to make room for punter Josh Miller
. Simms was re-signed the following week on October 6.
. However, he took over in the second half of a game against the Washington Redskins
after Orton left with a sprained ankle
, and eventually gave up the lead to the Redskins while going 3-13 passing for 13 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. He started against the San Diego Chargers
on November 22, 2009 but was quickly replaced by Orton in the second quarter after going a disappointing 2 for 4 for only 10 yards. He was released on March 15, 2010 after the Broncos traded for Brady Quinn
.
.
On September 4, 2010, Simms was cut from the Titans roster. On November 22, 2010, he was signed again to backup quarterback Rusty Smith
, after the season ending injury to Vince Young
.
On July 1, 2010, Simms was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated with marijuana in New York.
In May 2011, Simms was acquitted on charges of driving while high.
His younger brother, Matt Simms
, was a quarterback at the University of Louisville
before transferring to El Camino College, a junior college in Torrance, CA. Matt signed a letter of intent to transfer and play for the University of Tennessee
on December 16, 2009. Matt was Tennessee's starting quarterback until November, 2010 when Tyler Bray
replaced him.
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Ridgewood is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the village population was 24,958. Ridgewood is an affluent suburban bedroom community of New York City, located approximately northwest of Midtown Manhattan.The Village of Ridgewood was...
) is an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
.
Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. He is the son of former New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback and Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
MVP Phil Simms
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
.
Early years
Simms grew up in Franklin Lakes, New JerseyFranklin Lakes, New Jersey
Franklin Lakes is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,590. As of the 2000 Census, Franklin Lakes had the 18th-highest per-capita income of all 566 municipalities in the state. Nationwide, Franklin Lakes ranked 17th among the...
and attended Ramapo High School there, where he was a standout in both football and basketball. In football, he was a two-time All-State honoree, and was named the 1998 USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
National Offensive Player of the Year. Simms graduated from Ramapo High School in 1999. After committing to the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
during his senior year, Simms decommitted and enrolled at the University of Texas instead.
College career
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. In a controversial decision, Simms was named starter over Major Applewhite
Major Applewhite
Major Lee Applewhite is the Co-Offensive Coordinator and Running Backs Coach for the University of Texas. Prior to Texas, Applewhite served as offensive coordinator at Rice University under Todd Graham in 2006, and at the University of Alabama under Nick Saban in 2007...
in 2001, before Applewhite's senior season. After turning the ball over four times in the 2001 Big Twelve Championship Game, Simms gave way to fan favorite Applewhite, who nearly led Texas to a victory against Colorado (Texas lost 37-39). Applewhite later passed for a then school record 473 yards as the starter in the Holiday bowl. Simms played with Cedric Benson
Cedric Benson
Cedric Myron Benson is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft...
and Roy Williams
Roy Williams
-Sports:*Roy Williams , New Zealand athlete*Roy Williams , 1952 Summer Olympics Canadian team member...
his last three years of his college career.
Career statistics
| Year | | Passing | | Rushing | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comp | Att | Yards | TDs | Int | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| 1999 | 19 | 36 | 223 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 22 | 2.0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 67 | 117 | 1,064 | 8 | 7 | 26 | -25 | -1.0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 214 | 362 | 2,603 | 22 | 11 | 52 | -10 | -0.2 | 6 |
| 2002 | 235 | 396 | 3,207 | 26 | 12 | 70 | -124 | -1.8 | 4 |
| Totals | 535 | 911 | 7,094 | 58 | 31 | 159 | -137 | -0.2 | 10 |
Accomplishments and records
University of Texas Records- 2nd Highest Passer Rating (Career) - 138.4. (Behind Colt McCoyColt McCoyDaniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
) - 5th Best Winning Percentage (Career) - 26-6, 0.812 (Behind James StreetJames Street (quarterback)James Street is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at the University of Texas at Austin from 1966-1969...
, Bobby LayneBobby LayneRobert Lawrence "Bobby" Layne was an American football quarterback who played for 15 seasons in the National Football League. He played for the Chicago Bears in 1948, the New York Bulldogs in 1949, the Detroit Lions from 1950–1958, and the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1958–1962...
, Vince YoungVince YoungVincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
and McCoy). - 3rd Most Touchdowns (Career) - 58 (Behind Major ApplewhiteMajor ApplewhiteMajor Lee Applewhite is the Co-Offensive Coordinator and Running Backs Coach for the University of Texas. Prior to Texas, Applewhite served as offensive coordinator at Rice University under Todd Graham in 2006, and at the University of Alabama under Nick Saban in 2007...
and McCoy). - 2nd Most Touchdowns (Single Season) - 26 (Behind McCoy, tied with Young).
- 2nd Most Touchdowns (Single Game) - 5 (Behind McCoy, tied with Layne).
- 3rd most passing yards in a game (vs Nebraska) - 419 (Behind Applewhite & McCoy).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Simms was drafted with the last pick of the 3rd round in 2003 by the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
with the expectation that he would eventually be the successor to Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (American football)
James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...
. He was cast 3rd on the Bucs depth chart behind Johnson and former Buccaneers starter Shaun King
Shaun King
Shaun Earl King is a former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:King is a 1995 graduate of Gibbs High School .-College:...
. Simms sat his entire rookie year without playing a single snap in the regular season.
In 2004, Simms started the season as the 3rd string quarterback again, this time behind Johnson and former Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
starter Brian Griese
Brian Griese
Brian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
, but quickly advanced to backup quarterback after a poor preseason by Griese
Brian Griese
Brian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
. Simms saw his first action on September 19, 2004 against the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
after a below-average performance by Johnson
Brad Johnson (American football)
James Bradley Johnson is a former National Football League Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Brad went to Charles D...
, coming into the game with 10:32 left in the 2nd quarter. Simms went 21-32 with 175 yards and an interception. Simms received his first start two games later against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
on October 10, 2004 after the Bucs started 0-4 and Johnson was benched for his poor performance. Simms went 5-8 for 75 yards but injured his shoulder early in the game and missed three weeks, allowing Brian Griese
Brian Griese
Brian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
to secure the position with 3 straight wins. Simms saw occasional action as the backup QB to Griese and started a meaningless final game against the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
where he threw for 224 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.
In 2005, Simms was slated on the depth chart as the backup quarterback, behind Griese
Brian Griese
Brian David Griese is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played high school football at Christopher Columbus High School and later college football at Michigan....
and ahead of former Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
starting quarterback Luke McCown
Luke McCown
Lucas Patrick McCown is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League...
. Simms got his first snap of the season after Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
linebacker Zach Thomas
Zach Thomas
Zachary Michael Thomas is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Tech....
was pushed onto Griese's leg with several minutes left in the game on October 16, 2005. Despite the injury, the Buccaneers prevailed 27-13 in the game in which Griese was lost for the season. Simms performed well, completing 6 of 10 passes for 69 yards. Simms got his first start of the season the following week against a weak San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
squad. While Simms had decent numbers (21-34, 264yds, 1TD, 2INT), his performance was considered poor, as there were many times when he underthrew his receivers, missed open receivers, or incorrectly read the defensive coverage. Simms followed up this performance with about the same performance (25-42, 259, 1TD, 2INT) against the division rival Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, who were considered a much better team than San Francisco. Since these two losses however, Simms has performed better than expected and has a knack for late-game heroics. He led fourth-quarter charges against fellow division rival Atlanta
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
twice, as well as the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. The Redskin game was his best performance of the year as Simms threw for 3 scores as the Buccaneers won 36-35 in a remarkable game. Simms had a much more impressive performance in the rematch against Carolina
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
on the road. The two losses in this stretch were against the defending Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
Champion New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, and the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who were ranked #1 in the league in total defense, and in both of these games, Simms did not throw any interceptions, and was sacked a combined 11 times. He even led Tampa Bay to another fourth-quarter comeback against the Bears but a 29-yard field goal attempt floated wide right giving the Bears a 13-10 victory.
Simms led the Buccaneers to their first playoff berth since their Super Bowl victory in the 2002
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
. In the rematch vs. the Redskins Simms led Tampa Bay back again from a 17–3 halftime deficit. With the score at 17–10 late in the fourth quarter, Simms hit Edell Shepherd on an apparent 35-yard TD strike. However, Shepherd failed to maintain possession as he hit the ground. Tampa Bay lost 17–10 in a game where Washington gained only 120 yards of offense, the lowest total for a playoff winner in NFL history.
Chris Simms had played well at the end of the 2005 season, and thus came into the 2006 season with high expectations around him. However, for no particular obvious reason, Simms's play in the first two weeks was abysmal. In back-to-back games against the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons, Simms posted up 45 completions on 82 attempts for 446 yards, but had zero touchdowns and six interceptions. He continued to have several of his passes tipped by defensive linemen. Largely due to his inexplicably poor play, the Bucs scored a mere 3 points in two games.
Life-Threatening Injury
Simms suffered a season-ending injury in Game 3 of the 2006 schedule. On Sunday, September 24, he was taken off the field after taking hard hits from the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
defense. Simms returned to the game and even led a successful scoring drive, but remained in physical distress and was taken to a nearby hospital after the game. Tests revealed a ruptured spleen
Spleen
The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...
, and Simms immediately underwent emergency surgery. In the aftermath, Simms said he lost five pints of blood before the operation and conceded that another 45 minutes without treatment could have been fatal. The injury was caused by an illegal hit from Al Wallace
Al Wallace
Alonzo Dwight Wallace is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Maryland.Wallace is an alumnus of Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton,...
who was later fined by the NFL. Simms has become a spokesman in the Tampa area for blood donations. Playing on a one-year/$2.1 million contract signed before the season, Simms was eligible for free agency for 2007.
On December 27, 2006, Simms announced that he had signed a two-year extension to remain with the Buccaneers with the expectation that he would start. However, due to complications from his recovery and the performance of Jeff Garcia
Jeff Garcia
Jeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....
in mini-camp, Simms was expected to serve as a backup to Garcia. On October 9, Simms was placed on Injured Reserve for the rest of the season. The Bucs were expected to keep Simms on the roster for mini camp as their fifth quarterback.
Simms' relationship with head coach Jon Gruden
Jon Gruden
Jon David Gruden is an American football analyst and former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven seasons and prior to that the Oakland Raiders for four seasons. In his first year as the head coach of Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, defeating the Raiders whom he had...
worsened significantly during this period. Simms attributed his lack of playing time to how Gruden treated Simms during his recovery from spleen injury. He has even said that "The relationship between me and coach Gruden, it’s broken," Simms said. "And I don’t see any way it’s going to get better." Simms also said that he will never forgive Gruden, although he still respects the Buccaneers as an organization.
On August 30, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
released Simms. He worked out with the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
during the preseason but was not signed.
First stint with Titans
Simms signed with the Tennessee TitansTennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
on September 9, 2008 after starter Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
was sidelined with a sprained MCL. In Young's absence, Simms served as the backup quarterback behind Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
until October 3, when Simms was released to make room for punter Josh Miller
Josh Miller
Josh Miller is a former American football punter and current football analyst.He was signed by the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League as an undrafted free agent in 1994...
. Simms was re-signed the following week on October 6.
Denver Broncos
On March 4, 2009, Simms signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Denver Broncos. The deal includes a $1.5 million signing bonus and Simms can earn an additional $3 million through incentives. He was the backup quarterback to Kyle OrtonKyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
. However, he took over in the second half of a game against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
after Orton left with a sprained ankle
Sprained ankle
A sprained ankle, also known as an ankle sprain, twisted ankle, rolled ankle, ankle injury or ankle ligament injury, is a common medical condition where one or more of the ligaments of the ankle is torn or partially torn.-Cause:...
, and eventually gave up the lead to the Redskins while going 3-13 passing for 13 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. He started against the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 22, 2009 but was quickly replaced by Orton in the second quarter after going a disappointing 2 for 4 for only 10 yards. He was released on March 15, 2010 after the Broncos traded for Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
.
Second stint with Titans
On April 12, 2010, Simms was re-signed by the Tennessee TitansTennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
.
On September 4, 2010, Simms was cut from the Titans roster. On November 22, 2010, he was signed again to backup quarterback Rusty Smith
Rusty Smith (American football)
-Tennessee Titans:Smith was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was the first ever player from FAU to be drafted.He was signed to a four-year contract on June 17, 2010....
, after the season ending injury to Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
.
Career statistics
| Year | | Games | | Passing | | Rushing | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comp | Att | Pct | Yards | TDs | Int | Rating | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |||
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 5 | 42 | 73 | 57.5% | 467 | 1 | 3 | 64.1 | 7 | 14 | 2.0 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 11 | 191 | 313 | 61.0% | 2,035 | 10 | 7 | 81.4 | 19 | 31 | 1.6 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 3 | 58 | 106 | 54.7% | 585 | 1 | 7 | 46.3 | 4 | 7 | 1.8 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 50.0% | 7 | 0 | 0 | 58.3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 29.4% | 23 | 0 | 1 | 15.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | 22 | 297 | 511 | 58.1% | 3,117 | 12 | 18 | 69.1 | 30 | 52 | 1.7 | 1 | |
Personal
Simms married Danielle Marie Puleo in August 2004, whom he first met in high school. In 2006, Danielle gave birth to a girl.On July 1, 2010, Simms was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated with marijuana in New York.
In May 2011, Simms was acquitted on charges of driving while high.
His younger brother, Matt Simms
Matt Simms
Matt Simms is an American football quarterback who plays for the Tennessee Volunteers football team.-Early life and high school:...
, was a quarterback at the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
before transferring to El Camino College, a junior college in Torrance, CA. Matt signed a letter of intent to transfer and play for the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
on December 16, 2009. Matt was Tennessee's starting quarterback until November, 2010 when Tyler Bray
Tyler Bray
Tyler Bray is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers. He is considered one of the best quarterbacks of his class.-Early years:...
replaced him.