Justin Simmons is off to yet another strong start for the Denver Broncos. The All-Pro safety has seven solo tackles and one interception in helping the Broncos get off to a 3-0 start.
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He had the opportunity to talk about his team’s unblemished start to the season following Sunday’s 26-0 win over the New York Jets, doing an on-field interview with Spero Dedes of CBS Sports.
Justin Simmons tells @SperoDedes the @Broncos' focus is taking it one week at a time after a 3-0 start to the season. pic.twitter.com/gufupxtNEk
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 26, 2021
But his mind was focused elsewhere, as he shared on Instagram following the game, and what resulted was a powerful moment between him and his teammate, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
“After every game, home or away, a group of players from both teams come together to say a prayer at midfield. It’s my favorite thing about game day on Sunday. Giving thanks and praise to God win or lose,” he said. “Well, after the game was over, I was asked to do an interview talking about the big win. Once the interview was over I immediately looked behind me towards the 50 yard line, nervous that I had missed the prayer, and I did. However, Teddy was there waiting and told me ‘J! I got you man..I know you didn’t wanna miss this’ and started praying.
“There is a reason God brings people in your life depending on what ‘season’ of life you’re in. Teddy didn’t know, I never told him, but I needed that prayer.”
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Bridgewater is now on his fifth team in a career where he’s served as both a starter and a backup. He signed a three-year contract with the Carolina Panthers before the 2020 season, and he started 15 games, but he was traded to Denver this past offseason when the Panthers acquired quarterback Sam Darnold from the New York Jets in the offseason.
His play so far is a big reason for Denver’s 3-0 start. He’s averaged 275.7 passing yards across three games and has tallied four touchdown passes with no interceptions. He’s had just as big of an impact in the locker room — and at midfield after games.
“I’ve loved Teddy since Day 1. I’ve been a Teddy fan since back in his high school days,” Simmons said in an interview with 9News in Denver. “Being from South Florida, you know Teddy is like a hometown hero for a lot of South Florida kids. I think that’s why it’s all-encompassing for me, to look up to him and not know him from a young age and to be his teammate now, and to see the type of impact he’s leaving on our team in the short stint he’s been here — it’s pretty impactful.”
https://twitter.com/TGreenDenver/status/1442990172312772610?s=20
As Simmons, who is an outspoken believer in Christ, shared on Instagram and with 9News, that prayer meant a lot to him for reasons outside of football.
“I shared on my post that I needed that prayer and there was no way Teddy would have known. I never told him,” Simmons said. “It’s really impactful, and I just wanted to encourage and share that because there’s so many times in life where you get caught up in your own situation and your own circumstances. I shared that post because God is always for you, and God used Teddy in that moment for me. I’m just really thankful for it.”
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