Ten years after the Denver Broncos selected him in the third round of the NFL Draft, Justin Simmons signed a one-day contract Wednesday to officially retire as a member of the organization. The ceremony closed a career that produced some of the most consistent defensive play in the league over the past decade, wrapped inside a tenure that was always about more than football.
Simmons announced his retirement in a video posted to Instagram, speaking directly to Broncos Country with the kind of warmth that matched how he played and carried himself throughout his time in Denver.
A career defined by consistency and community
Drafted 98th overall out of Boston College in 2016, Simmons developed into one of the most decorated safeties of his era. He earned Pro Bowl honors twice and was named a second-team All-Pro four times. His 32 career interceptions ranked second only to Kevin Byard among all players since entering the league.
He finished with 666 tackles, 71 passes defended, and five forced fumbles across 134 games and 124 starts. The numbers were substantial. What surrounded them was arguably more so.
Simmons served as a three-time team captain and was the most visible face of the Broncos locker room through a stretch of seasons that produced more rebuilding than winning. He won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award three times, a recognition of community impact that very few players in the league have matched at any point in their careers.
Justin Simmons on what he wants to be remembered for
The Broncos released Simmons in 2024 as part of a salary cap restructuring. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons that season, starting 16 games and adding two interceptions before sitting out the 2025 NFL season entirely. His decision to retire with Denver, rather than wherever his career technically ended, was deliberate and uncomplicated.
He told reporters that he wants to be remembered not as a statistic but as someone who gave everything he had to his team and to the city. He spoke about carrying the weight of never reaching the postseason during his time as a captain, acknowledging it as something that stayed with him. He also said he lives without regrets and that his connection to Denver was never conditional on what happened on the scoreboard.
Several members of the local and national media echoed that sentiment Wednesday. Writers and broadcasters who covered him throughout his career described a player who was gracious with his time, genuinely curious about the people around him, and consistent in a way that extended well past the field.
What comes next for the two-time Pro Bowler
Simmons has been open about what he is looking forward to now that he is no longer suiting up. He wants to attend the Broncos’ home opener not as a player or a guest in a suite, but as a fan in the lower bowl. He wants to tailgate. He wants to experience the parts of game day in Denver that he spent a decade creating for everyone else without ever getting to participate in himself.
It is a fitting detail for a player whose entire career in Denver was defined by what he gave rather than what he kept for himself.
The Broncos have not yet announced their Week 1 opponent for 2026, but based on everything Simmons said Wednesday, he will be there.
