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Jason Simmons Suffers Injury by Steve Downey, Maroon & Gold Illustrated In a cruel twist of fate, Jason Simmons’ first season-opening starting assignment ended in disaster. Heading into his 10th NFL season, Simmons had started just 11 games. However, he earned the Houston Texans’ starting strong safety job with a solid preseason and was in the lineup for the team’s Sept. 9 game against Kansas City. Unfortunately, that’ll be the only start he makes this season. With 6:37 left in the second quarter of the Texans’ 20-3 win, Simmons attempted to bring down Chiefs running back Larry Johnson and suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. “I just was going to avoid a lineman and put my foot in the ground, and it just gave way,” said Simmons, who made one tackle and defended one pass before getting hurt. “Nothing more to it, just a freak accident. I was so upset. You finally get your chance — I wait to start my whole career — but I never could question God’s timing. I’m fine.” Simmons, who had one interception and 47 tackles in 16 games for the Texans last season, had surgery on his knee and will miss the rest of the season. “He’s been a successful player in this league for a long time,” Houston head coach Gary Kubiak said. “It was a great opportunity for him as a pro to start here, and he was doing a fine job. For that to happen is very disappointing.” Earlier this year, Simmons made headlines for something he did off the field. In an age when players accept money from each other in exchange for uniform numbers, the Arizona State product did the unthinkable. Since he joined the Texans in 2002, Simmons had worn uniform No. 30. However, newly acquired running back Ahman Green has worn that number throughout his football career and approached his new teammate to see if they could work something out. The response he got surprised him. “He said, ‘Sure, but I’d like you to make a down payment on a single-parent home through a foundation or charity,’” Green told the Houston Chronicle. “I was like, ‘I’m all on board. That’s easy. Tell me where to write the check to.’ “So instead of putting the money into his pocket, he’s going to put it into somebody else’s home and help them get their life started.” It was a no-brainer for Simmons. “It’s kind of tough for me to take money from another guy,” Simmons said. “I don’t need that. We’ll go out and help the community, because this city has stuck by us. If we can go out and show that we’re with the community and we appreciate all that they’ve done, I think it’s a good thing.” “I think it’s special what [Simmons] did, but it’s not a surprise with him, because that’s what he stands for,” Kubiak said. “You show me a guy who plays 10 to 12 years in this league, and I’ll show you a guy with a lot of class, and that’s what he has.” Simmons and Green are now working with the Texans to develop a foundation so more families can benefit in the future. “We want to do this thing right,” Simmons said. “We don’t want to half-step it, and we don’t want it to be the last time we do it. It feels good to do something for someone who needs it.” Maroon & Gold Illustrated is an annual, 10-issue magazine that is dedicated to covering ASU Athletics. Additionally, anyone who donates $100 or more annually to the Sun Devil Club receives a complementary subscription. For more information on the Sun Devil Club, please
visit www.sundevilclub.com.
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