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Former Broncos All-Pro Urged to Come Out of Retirement
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- Former Broncos All-Pro Urged to Come Out of Retirement
Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons. Getty
There's something tragic about a truly great player spending their entire career on terrible teams that stretches across sports — the noble warrior giving it his all, week after week, to no avail.
The Denver Broncos version of that is embodied in 3-time NFL All-Pro safety Justin Simmons , who spent 8 seasons with the Broncos from 2016 to 2023, during which they missed the playoffs every season but have made the postseason in both of the years since Simmons was cut in a salary cap move.
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Simmons played for the Atlanta Falcons in an equally miserable season to his time in Denver in 2024, didn't have a team in 2025, then retired as a Bronco on April 29.
Bleacher Report's Alex Kay thinks Simmons, 32, should come out of retirement and come back to the Broncos , where he'd be on a true Super Bowl contender for the 1st — and likely only — time in his career.
"Simmons was regularly among the league's top safeties during his time with the Broncos," Kay wrote on July 9. "He made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and led the NFL in interceptions with six in 2022. He was also productive in 2024 with the Atlanta Falcons. In what proved to be his last campaign, he tallied 62 tackles, seven passes defended, and two interceptions while making 16 starts. Still just 32 years old, it's hard to imagine that Simmons couldn't still play a pivotal role in a defense. After a year's layoff, he might need some time to get up to speed, but he could probably be a starting-caliber option in the right situation. Seeing Simmons back with the Broncos would be ideal, since the current squad could provide the Super Bowl pursuit that eluded him. It would be great to see him latch on with just about any contender and get to finally experience playoff football."
Broncos Needed Safety Help Late in 2025
The Broncos could have actually used Simmons late in the 2025 season after an injury to standout starter Brandon Jones , who suffered a season-ending pectoral injury and was placed on injured reserve on December 15.
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"It is a significant loss for one of the league's best defenses, given Jones was the team's third-leading tackler (78 tackles) and had played 93% of the defensive snaps this season," ESPN's Jeff Legwold wrote after Jones went on IR. " …
There was a noticeable drop-off in safety play following Jones' injury that probably could have been negated by having Simmons on the roster.
One Incredible Stat for Justin Simmons' Career
While it's impossible to feel bad for someone who has over $70 million in career earnings — which Simmons does — there is one wild stat about his career that needs to be shared.
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Not only did he never appear in a playoff game in 9 seasons, he only played on a team with a winning record once, when the Broncos went 9-7 in his rookie year in 2016.
According to Sharp Football Analysis and ESPN, Simmons remained the No. 1 available free agent safety deep into training camp last year.
"Simmons, an excellent communicator in the secondary, had two interceptions last season, and he has 32 in his career," ESPN's Matt Bowen wrote in August 2025. "I see his best fit as a veteran addition for a split-safety defense ."
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