The Denver Broncos have had some great players come through the building throughout franchise history. Even during the non-playoff seasons from 2016 to 2023, the Broncos still had some insanely talented players.
The quarterback position was the major issue, and that issue effectively wasted away the prime of so many former players, but Denver continued to battle through and finally saw light at the end of the tunnel in 2024, when the near decade-long playoff drought streak was snapped.
One of the most notable players in recent Broncos history was Justin Simmons, the team's long-time safety who played eight years for the team, those 2016-2023 seasons, before playing the 2024 season with the Atlanta Falcons. On Wednesday, the Broncos great announced his retirement after a decade in the NFL.
Denver Broncos All-Pro safety Justin Simmons retires after a decade in the NFL
On Wednesday, the Broncos released this video honoring Simmons and 'officially' announcing his retirement with the team. Even though Simmons had not played for Denver since 2023, he decided to retire a Bronco:
“Being a Denver Bronco was more than just a team. It was my heart, my home and my story.”
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) April 29, 2026
Exactly 10 years to the day we drafted him, All-Pro safety @jsimms1119 is retiring a Bronco: pic.twitter.com/rOZbocQU5o
Simmons actually did not play in 2025, but he was still an active player. Had Simmons been able to latch onto a team, perhaps he does consider playing further, but he had nine years of on-field action and absolutely made the most of those years.
The two-time Pro Bowler and four-time second-team All-Pro finished his career with 32 interceptions, having at least two in every single year of his career, 71 passes defended, 4.5 sacks, 666 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and five quarterback hits.
Simmons was a ball-hawk in every sense of the world and was typically stellar in coverage. Simmons also had an affinity for intercepting Patrick Mahomes, funnily enough. During his three-year stretch from 2018-2020, Simmons finished each year with 97, 93, and 96 tackles, not having fewer than 69 tackles across each year of his Denver career, save for his rookie season.
Simply put, Simmons was constantly all over the field. He made plays near the line of scrimmage, held down the backend of the defense, and was constantly an elite teammate and an ideal person off the field.
There aren't many players in the team's history who leaves the legacy that Simmons left. It would have been nice for Simmons to experience a playoff game, but sometimes, things don't work out the way you hoped.
When Brandon Jones went down near the end of the regular season for the Broncos in 2025, many fans were clamoring for the team to sign Simmons. After over 100 regular season games, over $70 million in career earnings, and a positive legacy of elite play and off-field work, Simmons has retired as a Denver Bronco.
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