- Brian Simmons
Infobox NFLactive
currentteam=Free agent
currentnumber=--
birthdate=birth date and age|1975|6|21
birthplace=New Bern, North Carolina
heightft=6
heightin=3
weight=244
debutyear=1998
debutteam=Cincinnati Bengals
college=North Carolina
draftyear=1998
draftround=1
draftpick=17
pastteams=
*Cincinnati Bengals (1998-2006)
*New Orleans Saints (2007)
status=
nfl=SIM110772Brian Eugene Simmons (born
June 21 ,1975 ) is anAmerican football linebacker who is currently afree agent . He was originally drafted by theCincinnati Bengals 17th overall in the1998 NFL Draft . He playedcollege football at North Carolina.Simmons has also played for the
New Orleans Saints in his career.Early years
Simmons attended
New Bern High School inNew Bern, North Carolina , and was a student and a letterman in football, basketball, baseball, and track.College career
Simmons played
college football in the University of North Carolina where as a senior, he won first team All-America honors from Football News, Associated Press, and the Walter Camp Foundation.Professional career
Cincinnati Bengals
He was drafted by the Bengals in the
1998 NFL Draft where he played eight seasons with them. Simmons missed all but one game of the 2000 season because of injury.In
2001 , the Bengals started the season 1-0. They faced the Super Bowl championBaltimore Ravens for their second game. Right before the halftime, the Ravens were driving downfield. They were on the goaline, and threw into the endzone. Brian Simmons' made one of his greatest plays in his career by picking off the pass, which lead to Cincinnati's 21-10 win.In
2003 , the 1-4 Bengals were down 0-7 against the Ravens again. With the Ravens about to score again, Simmons sacked rookie quarterbackKyle Boller , which forced a fumble, and led to Jon Kitna's 45-yard touchdown pass on third down. The Bengals won 34-26. A week later, the Bengals were 2-4 and were protecting a 27-24 lead against theSeattle Seahawks in the last six minutes. Simmons deflected aMatt Hasselbeck pass at the Cincinnati 34, then deflected another at the 24, which was intercepted by cornerback Jeff Burris to win the game.In
2004 , for the home season opener, the Bengals were down against theMiami Dolphins 0-3 at halftime. Three minutes into the second half, Simmons intercepted anA.J. Feeley pass and took it 50 yards for the Bengals only score of the game. It allowedCarson Palmer to get rolling and drive downfield to set up Shayne Graham's game-winning field goal.On February 28, 2007, Simmons was released from the Bengals.
New Orleans Saints
On March 6, 2007 he signed with the Saints. [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2789305] . On
March 1 ,2008 the Saints released Simmons after the acquisition ofJonathan Vilma .
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