Denver Broncos icon and nine-year NFL veteran Justin Simmons has announced his decision to retire from the sport at the age of just 32.
Simmons, a two-time Pro Bowler and four-time second-team All-Pro, played safety for the Broncos for eight seasons, before leaving for the Falcons in 2024.
He struggled to find a new team for the 2025 season and a year on has now decided to hang up his cleats for good, posting an emotional video on social media.
It was also revealed that he will sign a one-day contract – exactly 10 years to the day he was drafted – in order to retire from the sport as a Bronco, two years on from his exit.Â
In his retirement message, he said: ‘I would just love to be remembered as not just a Bronco, but just a man that gave his all to the team, the city.
‘Even in my letter to Broncos Country when I got let go was, “I don’t live with regrets.” I always tell everyone I walk with a sense of purpose and understanding of everything happens for a reason.Â
‘And the one thing that I wish I could hit on was just getting back to the postseason. There were a lot of positive things that happened individually, but I really hold and carry a lot of that weight as a team leader, as a captain, of not being able to promise that stuff, though.Â
‘So, I just want to be remembered as someone who gave his all and tried his best.’
Simmons played for Boston College between 2012 and 2015, and was then drafted No 98 overall by the Broncos after impressing at the Combine.
Across eight seasons in Denver, he played 118 games – a remarkable 108 of those as a starter, and he totaled 666 tackles in his NFL career.
At the end of his final contract with the Broncos, he was picked up by the Falcons and played 16 games in Atlanta, but his numbers dropped in a new city.
He finished his one-year, $7.5m deal and was not given a renewal by the team, leaving him looking for a new team in 2025.
Simmons was unable to secure a new home and will now sign a one-day contract to retire as a Denver Bronco.
