Jeffery Simmons has played two games for the Chicago Bears, and he’s already earning a reputation. He has two sacks in those two games, but that isn’t what has stood out the most. Simmons is what you’d call an instigator. He talks all sorts of trash during games. It doesn’t matter who it is. He’ll do it to everybody. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got an earful from him all night, but nobody got it worse than Luke Goedeke. Tampa Bay’s right tackle mixed it up with Simmons several times, and the Bears’ defensive tackle showed no mercy.
It came from all angles. One play, it’d be a strong bull rush. Another play, it’d be a nifty inside move. Then, on a stunt during one sequence, Simmons caught an unsuspecting Goedeke and knocked him to the turf. Tempers inevitably flared, and the two mixed it up a couple of times. Simmons pretty much came away the winner. Chicago sacked Baker Mayfield 4 times and held Tampa Bay’s offense to 24 points despite 5 extra opportunities from Bears offensive turnovers. Goedeker clearly had enough.
So much that he complained to the media about Jeffery Simmons.
The tackle spoke to Kalyn Kahler after the game and didn’t mince words. He accused Simmons of being a dirty player, both for launching his body when knocking Goedeke down and for intentionally holding him on occasion to give the Bears’ defensive ends a free run at the quarterback. Now, the second part of that statement is true. It’s been documented. Simmons has an incredible ability to reach out and tug on a tackle’s shoulder pads just long enough to disrupt their drop, giving defensive ends a step.
As for the body-launching part? That one holds less credence. Video replays show Jeffery Simmons is clearly leading with his hands when knocking Goedeke to the ground. One can understand how it might’ve felt like a blatant hit. The dude is built like Optimus Prime in his truck form. Either way, the fact that Goedeke aired his grievances publicly at all tells you how much Simmons got into his head. Normally, players don’t do that. They keep answers vague, try not to point fingers, and promise revenge.
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For Goedeke to list things like that speaks to his level of frustration.
The Bears have found something rare.
When it comes to NFL players, you usually find them in one of two categories: great performer or great talker. You don’t always see the two combined into one. Simmons is that combination made manifest. He dominates you physically for 60 minutes, and yaps in your ear the entire time. The best comparison you can probably make is Warren Sapp. He was notorious for doing the same thing during his heyday with the Buccaneers. He’d blow up a run play or pressure the quarterback, spend 30 seconds dressing down everybody with his mouth, and do the exact same thing on the next play.
Simmons does the same thing. The goal behind it is simple. Reggie Miller once explained it. Around 70% of the talking is just to motivate and get himself going. The other 30% is to see if he can get in the opponent’s head. If he succeeds, that gives his team a huge advantage. Simmons recognizes that as well. He’s not afraid to be a lightning rod everybody hates. The more attention he draws, the better.
