- Wayne Simmons (American football)
Infobox NFLretired
name=Wayne Simmons
caption=
position=Linebacker
number=59, 56
birthdate=birth date|1969|12|15Hilton Head, South Carolina
deathdate=death date and age|2002|08|23|1969|12|15Kansas City, Missouri
debutyear=1993
finalyear=1998
draftyear=1993
draftround=1
draftpick=15
college=Clemson
teams=
*Green Bay Packers (1993-1997)
*Kansas City Chiefs (1997-1998)
*Buffalo Bills (1998)
stat1label=Sacks
stat1value=11.5
stat2label=Interceptions
stat2value=3
stat3label=Games
stat3value=90
nfl=SIM336166
highlights=
*Super Bowl champion (XXXI)Wayne General Simmons (
December 15 ,1969 -August 23 ,2002 ) was anAmerican football linebacker in theNational Football League .Simmons, an integral part of Clemson's #1 ranked defense in 1990, was drafted by the
Green Bay Packers with the 15th pick of the first round of the1993 NFL Draft . Simmons played for Green Bay for four and a half years, earning aSuper Bowl ring in 1996. Simmons was well known for shutting down opponentstight end s, but in doing this task extremely well he was not able to obtain the attention drawing statistics such asquarterback sack s. Simmons was traded to theKansas City Chiefs during the 1997 season whenSeth Joyner returned from knee surgery. The Chiefs waived Simmons in 1998 after a 30-7 Monday Night loss to arch-rivalDenver Broncos , in which Simmons and fellow linebackerDerrick Thomas were called for a total of five personal fouls on the Broncos' final touchdown drive. TheBuffalo Bills claimed Simmons off waivers onNovember 19 ,1998 and played five games. He was released by the team in February of 1999.Death
In the early hours of
August 23 ,2002 , Simmons was killed in a single-car crash onInterstate 70 inIndependence, Missouri . Witnesses report he was driving his Mercedes at high speed and weaving through traffic before losing control of the vehicle. The car rolled several times before landing in a ditch and catching fire. He was 32.External links
* [http://espn.go.com/classic/obit/s/2002/0823/1421938.html Simmon's obituary at ESPN Classic]
* [http://www.nfl.com/players/waynesimmons/profile?id=SIM336166 NFL.com player page]
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