Broncos, S. Justin Simmons will split up following eight seasons.

After eight significant seasons in Denver, Justin Simmons’ tenure as a Bronco will end.

Simmons will be released by the Broncos on Thursday, which means that Denver and he will split ways.

The Broncos released a statement saying, “Justin Simmons’ impact as a Denver Bronco extends far beyond his exceptional play during eight seasons with our organization.” “Justin not only developed into a team captain and All-Pro, but he also won Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year every year because of his unwavering commitment to encouraging people and utilizing his power for good. Whether in Stuart, Florida, his hometown, or Denver, Justin inspired and mentored countless young people while giving the community constant support. His countless hours at the Denver Broncos Boys

Justin’s legacy with the Broncos will include & Girls Club just as much as his leadership, consistency, and plenty of interceptions.

“We are grateful to Justin for the exceptional way he represented our team both on and off the field. He will always be a Bronco. We send our best wishes for the future to Justin, his wife Taryn, and their kids, Laney, Shae, and Kyler.”

Simmons, who was selected in the third round compensatory by the NFL in 2016, developed into one of the league’s top safeties and a frequent winner of all-league recognition.

Over almost ten years in Denver, Simmons was selected three times for the NFL Top 100, twice for the Pro Bowl, and a four-time member of the Associated Press second-team All-Pro.

In 2022, Simmons tied for the NFL lead in interceptions. Over the previous six seasons, he was the only player in the league to record at least three interceptions. The Pro Football Writers of America Denver chapter honored Simmons with the inaugural Demaryius Thomas Team MVP award in recognition of his outstanding 2022 campaign.

During his final seven seasons in Denver, the Boston College product appeared in 105 games and started 118 games overall for the Broncos. Throughout his time in Denver, he recorded 30 interceptions (tied for seventh in the team’s history) and 64 passes defensed. Along with 604 tackles, three fumble recoveries, and five forced fumbles,One defensive score and nineteen tackles for loss.

During his time wearing orange and blue, Simmons had several noteworthy plays, such as interceptions that won games against the Raiders in 2017, the Dolphins in 2020, and the Commanders in 2021. When he jumped above the line of scrimmage to block an extra point and set up a game-winning score against the Saints in 2016, it was possibly his most athletically spectacular play of the season. In a victory over the Chiefs in 2023 that ended the team’s winning streak, he also made a game-winning interception. This helped him win AFC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career.

Additionally, Simmons served as the defensive anchor for the Broncos, starting more than 3,200 consecutive snaps from the beginning of the season until 2021.2018 to the first few weeks of the 2021 campaign.

However, the longest-tenured Bronco’s influence went much beyond numerical benchmarks. Simmons was not just a multi-year captain but also a three-time candidate for the NFL’s most coveted award, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. He was the first player in Broncos history to be selected as the nominee in consecutive years, and he was only the second Bronco to receive three nominations for the same award.