| Longevity in professional football
is rare. As the old joke goes, the NFL stands for "Not For Long." Thus, in his
14th season, Chicago Bears DE Clyde Simmons’ career is something of an
aberration. At age 35, Simmons is the oldest player on the Bears, the fifth team he has
played for. He ranks 10th on the all-time sack ledger with 119 and counting.
The aging veteran still has some jounce as he has already matched his sack total of five
from last season, where he played in Cincinnati. He saw a lot of action with the Bengals,
where he was an every-down player and started all 16 games.
Durability has long been part of Simmons’ game. He has never missed a non-strike
game and at one point in his career had 140 consecutive starts. However, with the Bears,
he is now used primarily in pass-rush situations.
"I’m like any player, I want to play because I’m a competitor,"
Simmons said. "I want to play as much as possible. The coaches have made a decision,
and I’m trying to live up to my end of the bargain."
Most veterans with numbers like Simmons’ wouldn’t sign with a team that was
rebuilding. Although the Bears have a new coaching staff and a lot of young players,
Simmons has seen enough in his years in the league to be optimistic.
"We’re definitely a playoff team, definitely. We’ve got a lot of talent
around here," said Simmons. "In this business, any team is good enough to beat
anybody. You just have to play well every week and be consistent every week. If you can do
that, you have a chance to win."
The 6-foot-5, 292-pound Simmons downplays the idea of him being a coach on the field,
but he admits, "My job is to help everybody get better."
One of Simmons "pupils" is first-year DE Russell Davis, the only rookie
starter on the Bears’ defense. "He’s kind of a father figure," said
Davis. "The main thing with Clyde is experience; he brings so much experience.
We’ve got a lot of young guys, me especially being out there starting as a rookie. I
talk to Clyde all the time. He helps out a great deal by telling you what you need to do
to be successful in the league. Coming from him, you listen and do the extra work after
practice and watch the extra film. He really helps; it’s great to have him
around," Davis said.
Simmons played in the Pro Bowl following the ’91 and ’92 seasons while with
Philadelphia. His 19 sacks in 1992 led the NFL, and he was voted the Eagles’
defensive MVP. Not bad for a ninth-rounder selected 234th overall by
Philadelphia in ’86. While with the Eagles, Simmons played opposite fellow DE Reggie
White. In his final year, White’s 16 sacks topped the NFC last season. Simmons holds
that immensely successful farewell tour in high regard.
"That’s definitely the way to do it. You want to be on top of your game when
you leave and be able to leave on your terms."
Unlike White, who has said the Lord told him to go to Green Bay, Simmons answered the
calling of first-year Bears head coach Dick Jauron.
"He’s one of the big reasons why I’m here," Simmons said. "I
knew Dick Jauron when we were in Jacksonville together and he was the defensive
coordinator there. He did a lot of lobbying for me to come to Chicago. I’m trying to
live up to my end, help do something we both can be proud of."
Simmons signed a two-year contract worth $4 million.
"Some people may call me a bargain; some say I’m overpriced. That’s
their opinion," Simmons said. "My job is to come out here and be a competitor,
be prepared and ready to play. I just want to be productive. Whatever that is, getting
sacks or helping the younger players come along, I’m here to be productive."
The secret wellspring of Simmons’ fountain of youth may be an emphasis on
preparation. Although experience doesn’t necessarily translate into making it any
easier, "You still have to go out there and study each opponent like they’re
brand new," said Simmons. "It doesn’t get easier with age. You have to go
through the same processes. Break them down on film and find out what you’ve got to
do to win. Preparation is all it is. If you know what a guy’s trying to throw at you
in practice during the week and study it, on game day it’s easy.
"If you’re consistent in your preparation, you’re going to do your job
well and really eliminate mental errors. For me, mental errors are hard to swallow. Once
you get older, you prepare smarter and don’t waste your steps in a game. You find
yourself in the right place at the right time."
The right place at the right time has been in opposing backfields, sacking
quarterbacks, throughout his long and successful career. |
