Tag: Justin Simmons

Titans injury report: Calvin Ridley out, Jarvis Brownlee limited

The Tennessee Titans returned to the practice field on Wednesday and saw wide receiver Calvin Ridley lead a group sidelined by injury.

The Tennessee Titans returned to the practice field on Wednesday in preparation for their Week 13 battle with the Washington Commanders. 

Prior to practice head coach Brian Callahan outlined the adjustments being made to deal with the Thanksgiving holiday practice schedule and the impact it will have. Because of those adjustments, he warned that there would be a higher-than-usual amount of players held out on Wednesday, and he was right. 

Being held out of Wednesday’s session were defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, linebacker Luke Gifford, outside linebackers Arden Key and Harold Landry, cornerback Roger McCreary, offensive tackle Leroy Watson and wide receiver Calvin Ridley. While some were for rest, others are battling injury, and their status at this point is unknown. 

Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie returned to practice as expected and was limited. Cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr., defensive back Justin Hardee and running back Tyjae Spears were also limited participants. 

The Titans’ Wednesday injury report can be found below:

Did not participate: DT Jeffery Simmons (NIR/rest), OT Leroy Watson (back), CB Roger McCreary (knee), OLB Arden Key (back), WR Calvin Ridley (ankle), LB Luke Gifford (hamstring), OLB Harold Landry (NIR/rest),

Limited Participant: RB Tyjae Spears (concussion), CB Chidobe Awuzie (groin), DB Justin Hardee (groin), CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (ribs)

Full participants: S Amani Hooker (illness)

[lawrence-related id=154148,154138,154105]

Sean Payton pleased with Broncos’ safety play this season

“I like how we’re playing [at safety],” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.

Last year, the Denver Broncos went into the season with Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson as their starting safeties. Caden Sterns was listed as a co-starter with Jackson, but he suffered a torn patellar tendon in Week 1. That injury left P.J. Locke, Delarrin Turner-Yell and JL Skinner as the team’s backup safeties in 2023.

Simmons played at his typical Pro Bowl level in 2023, but Jackson served two suspensions and was eventually released. Locke ended up starting eight games as a fill-in starter last season.

After parting ways with Jackson late in the 2023 season and releasing Simmons this spring, Denver signed Brandon Jones during free agency. Jones has been starting across from Locke this year, and they have been a dynamic safety duo for the Broncos.

Jones has recorded 79 tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery through 11 games.

“We’re better overall on the backend at that position than we were a year ago,” coach Sean Payton said of the safety positon. “We’ve played a few different guys back there, but I like how we’re playing. We’re communicating. Our guys on defense, Vance [Joseph] and Jim Leonhard and all those guys are doing a fantastic job. We’re definitely I would say further along, and it was a good performance by those guys [Sunday].”

Denver’s backup safeties behind Jones and Locke are Devon Key and Skinner. Payton clearly feels that the Jones-Locke-Key-Skinner combination is better than the Simmons-Jackson-Locke-Turner-Yell rotation from last year. (Jackson, as one might expect, disagreed with that assessment.)

Jones and Locke will look to build on their impressive campaign when the Broncos host the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football in Week 13.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Kareem Jackson was not pleased with Sean Payton’s latest comments

Sean Payton said the Broncos are “better overall” at safety this year than they were last season. Kareem Jackson clearly disagrees.

During his conference call with reporters on Monday, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked about the team’s current safety duo of Brandon Jones and P.J. Locke.

During his response, Payton said, “We’re better overall on the backend at that position than we were a year ago.” Last year, Denver’s starting safeties going into the season were Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson.

Jackson saw Payton’s quote on Twitter/X and it’s safe to say he doesn’t agree with the coach’s stance.

“🤣🤣 if it’s one thing I’ve learned in this league after being in it for 15 years, some of these coaches will say any damn thing!” Jackson tweeted on Monday. “Even if it’s them putting their foot in their mouth lol!! S/o PJ and B Jones cause I love what they doing this year!! Keep going fellas 🫡”

Locke became a fill-in starter for the Broncos last year while Jackson served two separate suspensions. After Jackson returned from his second suspension, Payton cut him.

Jackson, 36, finished last season with the Houston Texans and he is now on the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Justin Simmons gives his take on Broncos QB Bo Nix

Falcons safety Justin Simmons said Broncos quarterback Bo Nix “has gotten tremendously better each and every week.”

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a huge game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, completing 28-of-33 passes for 307 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 38-6 win.

After the game, Falcons safety Justin Simmons — a former Bronco — was asked for his thoughts on Nix.

“I said it in a podcast with Todd Davis leading up to the game — I think the progression from Bo watching tape, leading up to this game from week one to now Week 11 has gotten tremendously better each and every week,” Simmons said. “When you have a really good arm, and you trust your arm, it can be hard in the pocket not to take the deep shot.

“For the most part, we were taking away the deep plays that they wanted to run, and he was just being consistent and checking it down and letting his skill players do what they have done all year. Taking a check down and getting nine or 10 yards, moving the chains and running the ball really well. Just operating at a high level and defensively we couldn’t break that. You can’t expect to come into a hostile environment and expect to win with that defensive effort. It’s not nearly good enough for us.”

Simmons ended the game with five tackles, including one tackle behind the line. He embraced former teammates after the game and thanked Broncos fans for a warm welcome back to Denver. The Broncos never made the playoffs during Simmons’ eight years in Denver. Unfortunately for the safety, the Broncos now appear to be on track to make the postseason in their first year without Simmons.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos players lined up to hug Justin Simmons after beating Falcons

Broncos players lined up to hug Justin Simmons after beating the Falcons on Sunday. Simmons also thanked fans after the game.

After the Denver Broncos defeated the Atlanta Falcons in a blowout 38-6 win over Sunday, safety Justin Simmons exchanged post-game hugs with many of his former teammates.

Romi Bean of KCNC-TV shared a 30-second video on Twitter/X showing Broncos players lining up to embrace Simmons. The video shows kicker Wil Lutz, running back Javonte Williams, cornerback Riley Moss (who Simmons called “White Lightning”), safety Devon Key and wide receiver Marvin Mims exchanging hugs after the game.

Simmons, 30, played for the Broncos from 2016-2023 before being cut earlier this year. Ahead of Sunday’s game, Simmons dropped a f-bomb on his former team during a pre-game speech. The safety probably didn’t expect cameras to pick up the audio of that pre-game huddle.

After the game, Simmons sang a different tune.

“It was emotional,” Simmons said of returning to Denver. “Obviously, I played the last eight years here. A lot of good memories and it was bittersweet. First, I’m thankful for the warm embrace with the fans and (I) got to see some of my old teammates. It stinks being on the opposite side and coming away with the loss, a bad loss at that.

“We didn’t execute nearly well enough on defense to give us a chance to win this game. That’s a credit to their offense and how they were operating. It makes the whole thing bittersweet, but I did want to say thank you to the fans and the people that I got to see. The staff that I’ve known and gotten to know the previous eight years. I am super grateful and I’m also standing up here with a heavy heart of a really tough loss.”

Simmons ended the day with five tackles, including one tackle behind the line of scrimmage. He was on the opposite end of Javonte Williams’ touchdown run in the second quarter. “I was trying to tell them this boy run hard,” Simmons told Williams after the game.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Bo Nix makes NFL history as Broncos cruise past Falcons in 38-6 win

Broncos QB Bo Nix matched a Peyton Manning stat in a convincing 38-6 win over the Falcons on Sunday.

The Denver Broncos (6-5) cruised past the Atlanta Falcons (6-5) in a convincing 38-6 victory at home on Sunday afternoon.

Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix made history in the win by throwing for at least 200 yards and two touchdowns in four straight home games. Nix is just the second rookie player in NFL history to accomplish such a feat, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (1998).

Nix finished the day 28-of-33 passing for 307 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions before Jarrett Stidham took over in the fourth quarter.

On the game’s opening series, Nix led a nine-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end/fullback Nate Adkins to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. The Falcons matched that score with a 41-yard Younghoe Koo field goal to cut the deficit to 7-3.

In the second quarter, Denver running back Javonte Williams was met by Atlanta safety Justin Simmons at the five-yard line on a 14-yard run. Williams kept his legs moving and teammates pushed him into the end zone for a touchdown to make it 14-3. After that, Koo converted a 51-yard field goal to draw the Falcons within a score, 14-6.

The Broncos never looked back from there as Nix led a 10-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard screen pass to receiver Marvin Mims, who scored to make it 21-6.

In the third quarter, Denver went 45 yards on 10 plays and Nix threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to receiver Troy Franklin to extend the lead to 28-6. On the next drive, Broncos linebacker Cody Barton intercepted a pass from Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins, but the turnover did not lead to any points.

Denver kicker Wil Lutz added a 45-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to make it 31-6. Nix later threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey to extend the lead to 38-6, which held as the final score.

Up next for Denver is a road game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12. The Broncos previously beat Las Vegas 34-18 at home in Week 5.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Falcons safety Justin Simmons says ‘F— them’ before Broncos game

Falcons safety Justin Simmons had a harsh message for the Broncos ahead of Sunday’s game.

Last week, Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons noted that he might hear some boos when he returned to Empower Field at Mile High in Week 11.

“You know, I won’t hear as many cheers — probably a little bit more boos — but, again, I think that’s part of it,” Simmons told media members in Atlanta last week.

Simmons didn’t appear to be specifically booed early in Sunday’s game, but he might have been had Denver Broncos fans heard what he said in the huddle before the game.

Before facing his former team, Simmons said, “In front of their home town, [expletive] them!” Here’s video of the moment, courtesy of Scotty Gange of 9News:

Before that huddle, Simmons greeted former teammate Pat Surtain on the field before the game.

The Broncos made a difficult decision to release Simmons this spring in a move that saved the club $14.5 million in salary cap space. He later joined the Falcons on a one-year deal.

Last week, Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton joked that he hoped Simmons wouldn’t greet him with a big hit in Week 11.

“I jokingly told him, ‘Hey, bro, if you see me coming across the middle, just remember we’re friends,'” Suttons said.

Simmons is one of four ex-Broncos who now play for the Falcons. Simmons played in Denver from 2016-2023, earning four second-team All-Pro honors and two Pro Bowl nods. Simmons ranks seventh on the Broncos’ all-time list with 30 interceptions.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos vs. Falcons: 5 things to watch for in Week 11

The Denver Broncos are set to host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Here are five storylines to watch for in Week 11.

The Denver Broncos (5-5) are set to host the Atlanta Falcons (6-4) in Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a quick list of five storylines to keep an eye on this week.

1. Justin Simmons returns to Denver: Simmons, of course, spent the first eight years of his career with the Broncos before being cut and joining the Falcons this offseason. He expects to hear some boos when he returns to Empower Field at Mile High, but fans in Denver will likely greet him with a warm welcome instead.

2. Denver’s defense vs. Kirk Cousins and Co.: Vance Joseph’s unit ranks fifth in total yards allowed per game (295.7), third in points allowed (17.7) and second in sacks (35) this season. This week, Denver’s defense will face a Falcons offense that ranks fifth in total yards per game (375.1) and fourth in passing yards (250.4). Atlanta’s 124.7 rushing yards per contest rank 12th as Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier have proven to be a dynamic backfield duo. 

3. Broncos running back rotation: Last week, rookie Audric Estime appeared to take over as the team’s new lead running back. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi downplayed that on Thursday by saying the team was riding the “hot hand.” Denver head coach Sean Payton seems to be a big fan of Estime, though, so we expect him to continue leading the way on carries. Javonte Williams will likely remain the RB in passing situations because he is the best blocking and receiving back on the team, and Jaleel McLaughlin will continue to offer a chance-of-pace option. 

4. Alex Forsyth’s field goal protection: The entire kicking unit will be scrutinized this week after a blocked field goal cost the Broncos a win against the Kansas City Chiefs last week. Nobody will be watched more closely than lineman Alex Forsyth, who was culpable for the block in Kansas City. Denver special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica seems confident it won’t happen again.

5. Bo Nix vs. Falcons’ defense: Atlanta has a talented secondary that includes Simmons, but they struggle to get after quarterbacks. The Falcons have a league-low nine sacks this season and they have allowed the ninth-most passing yards per game (223.4) this fall. The stats suggest that Sunday could be a big game for Nix. Coming off a strong performance against the Chiefs, Nix will look to continue making strides against Atlanta. 

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). Playing at home, the Broncos are considered slight favorites in Week 11.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Sean Payton recalls ‘difficult’ decision to cut Justin Simmons

“That was difficult, I mean, holy cow,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the decision to cut Justin Simmons this spring.

Atlanta Falcons safety Justin Simmons is set to return to Empower Field at Mile High this weekend to face the Denver Broncos, his old team.

Simmons, 30, was released by the Broncos this spring in a move that saved the team $14.5 million in salary cap space. Denver coach Sean Payton was asked about the decision to cut Simmons after Wednesday’s practice.

“That was difficult, I mean, holy cow,” Payton said. “I remember him coming out in the draft. I remember — look, I was just with him a season, but it’s always difficult when you’re dealing — especially with a veteran — someone who’s played so well for the organization. Those are never easy decisions.”

Simmons will reunite with many former teammates on Sunday, including cornerback Pat Surtain. Simmons is still in a defensive back group chat that includes Surtain, Ja’Quan McMillian and P.J. Locke.

“It’s going to be a lot different, obviously, my past few years here, he’s been on our side of the ball,” Surtain said Wednesday. “So it’s going to be very much different, but I’m excited for the reunion for sure. I know [there’s] a lot of anticipation leading up to it.

“I’m looking forward to it, I know he’s excited, we’re excited. We’re still connected in the group chat, so [there’s] going to be a lot of trash talk going into it. It’s going to be pretty cool.”

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). Playing at home, the Broncos are considered slight favorites in Week 11.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Justin Simmons isn’t the only ex-Bronco returning to Denver this week

Justin Simmons will return to Denver this week. He’ll be joined by three other former Broncos players who now play for the Falcons.

The Denver Broncos are set to host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in a game that will mark veteran safety Justin Simmons’ return to Empower Field at Mile High.

Simmons, 30, was released by the Broncos this spring in a move that saved the team $14.5 million in salary cap space. He signed with the Falcons in August.

A four-time second-team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler, Simmons is the most notable player returner to Denver this week. But he’s not the only ex-Bronco who now plays in Atlanta.

The Falcons also have former Denver offensive lineman Elijah Wilkinson plus practice squad wide receiver Phillip Dorsett and cornerback Lamar Jackson, who just signed with Atlanta earlier this week.

Wilkinson played for the Broncos from 2017-2020, starting 26 games. Dorsett spent last season on Denver’s practice squad and Jackson spent time with the Broncos in 2022.

Simmons ranks seventh on Denver’s all-time interceptions list (30), and he has one interception with the Falcons this season.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]