How Denver Broncos Safety Justin Simmons Relies on the Gospel

Published: May 8, 2023

How Denver Broncos Safety Justin Simmons Relies on the Gospel

By Movieguide® Contributor

Denver Broncos Safety, Justin Simmons, sat down with Sports Spectrum Podcast to discuss his faith walk in the NFL and the type of work that God is doing in his life as he enters into his eighth season.

Simmons discussed what it’s like playing in the NFL dealing with expectations whether they are fulfilled or unmet.

Simmons stated, “This is the season of expectation for my wife Taryn and me. We have three kids and I think the transition from our second to our third child is what really made us reach out for help. We see a marriage counselor on a weekly to bi-weekly basis and a lot of our conversations have been centered around expectations. Expectations in the off-season, during the season, expectations in the household and what each of us expect from one another.”

He continued, “I say all that to say in the season of my marriage and talking about expectations I felt like it has helped prepare me so well for conversations in our locker room on expectations. It’s just the lens that I look out of right now because it’s so relevant and prevalent in my life right now.”

In a season of unmet expectations with the Broncs, Simmons never let his faith waiver. He continued to push forward and keep his eyes set on Jesus.

“It was hard to keep it together. There may have been some weeks publicly where things looked like they were held together and going great but behind closed doors and through tough conversations it was the complete opposite,” Simmons stated.

He continued, “I think there is so much emotion built up in losing and the way you lose. Along with the expectations you put on yourself and the high demand you put on yourself. And then the expectations you have for the team and defensively for me specifically.”

“Through this season I’ve learned more than any other how grateful and thankful I am for God’s provision and for men that he has specifically place in my life that have helped me view things from a different perspective,” Simmons said.

The main guy Simmons relied on and learned from was Russell Wilson. Wilson was thrown into a tough space to win the past few seasons however, his faithfulness to God never slacked.

Simmons stated, “To see his [Russell Wilson] faithfulness to God throughout the season, the early morning prayer sessions and seeing him physically get on his knees and worship God through the highs and the lows gave me a new perspective on what leadership looked like and how to follow God through the lows.”