NFL analyst for NBC and former NFL QB Chris Simms takes a timeout for some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Do you expect the Jets to be motivated for Nathaniel Hackett following Sean Payton’s summer blast of him?
A: A hundred percent. I’d be disappointed if they’re not. 1. They shouldn’t need this to be motivated, right? This is a really good football team that’s got talent and they’re 1-3. But yes, I think they’re also kind of that group anyways. I’ve known [Robert] Saleh for a little while because I’m friends with [Kyle] Shanahan and all that. They look for reasons to get chippy or motivated. I think it kind of fits into their “All gas, no brake” theme. So I would expect everybody, offense and defense, to kind of rally around Nathaniel Hackett this week.
Q: What are your recollections working with Hackett when you were the Buccaneers quarterback?
A: His dad [Paul] is arguably my favorite coach I ever had. First off, they’re great people and great communicators. They can make you feel comfortable working with you, and then they have that right touch of Hey, they can get on you, but it’s not like they’re such a jerk that you go, “Damn, they made me feel worse.” It was always kind of constructive that way. They made you feel like in the game like, hey, they know it’s not easy, but I’m here with you, man, and we’re going to keep fighting and we’re going to figure out a new way to do things, and stuff like that that goes a long way for quarterbacks, and that’s why you see a guy like Aaron Rodgers got such a liking for him because he appreciates that. The other thing that I’ll say he’s great at is just making sure receivers and quarterbacks are on the same page, true like West Coast detail.
Q: Is there hope for Zach Wilson?
A: Yes, there’s hope. It wasn’t the greatest start to a career, but it wasn’t all Zach Wilson’s fault. I would say the support system was below average as far as the last offensive coordinator [Mike LaFleur] not exactly having the right talent around him that way. And then, of course, a defensive head coach, his expertise is not grooming young quarterbacks. You don’t give up on a guy that’s got that kind of talent. Hopefully last week’s performance gives him some confidence and gives them confidence to continue to open up the playbook. The theme of the game was throw on first down. He got to throw in the position of power instead of run on first, run on second and then it’s, hey, it’s third-and-11 Zach, can you bail us out? No quarterback can do that. Maybe [Patrick] Mahomes and Josh Allen, other than that, nobody else is going to survive that way.
Q: Is it realistic for Aaron Rodgers to return this season?
A: No, absolutely not. I’m sure he’s hopeful, I’m not saying he’s delusional to think that. I understand where he’s coming from. I get scared because I don’t want to doubt Aaron Rodgers, but I think that’s just the way he is, and it’s kind of the way we’re wired as quarterbacks.
Q: What advice would you have for Evan Neal?
A: Just block out the noise. 1. Don’t ever attack the fans. They got a right to complain, they’re paying a lot of money to go to those games. If you’re a top-10, top-15 pick, and you just aren’t a star right from the get-go, people like to latch on to the negativity about it. Look at Evan Engram, I know he dropped some passes in some big moments, but the negativity crushed him, and [now] he’s one of the best tight ends in football, he’s leading the league in yards after catch. So block all that out, just keep working, play good and your play will silence the people in the stands.
Q: What did you think of Neal’s apology?
A: I liked his apology. This is where I’ll stick up for him: He’s emotional, and you know football players, they find anything they can to motivate themselves a little bit — whether it’s their own fans hating them or the other team’s fans hating them. Sometimes you can’t win as a professional athlete now. If you don’t care, they start to go, “Well, he never says anything, he acts like he doesn’t care.” And then all of a sudden they show they care and, “Whoa whoa, that’s a little too much there.” It’s s little bit of a fine line that’s very hard to dance this day and age.
Q: How concerned should Giants fans be about Daniel Jones?
A: He’s Problem, like,[No.] 74 on the list. He can’t block ’em and get ’em open and then do everything — they should have paid him more if that’s what they’re expecting. When you’re getting hit in one second or you can’t even look at the first read, it’s going to start to affect your decisions and the clock in your head. And the people who don’t have a little sympathy toward that are just either clueless, lazy or hot-take artists. Whenever he’s got support or somebody open, he hits them. He makes more happen on broken plays where it should be a sack for minus-8 yards. It’s not like he’s played behind a bad offensive line his whole career — it’s the worst, and it’s not even close. It’s by far the worst pass protection any quarterback in football has had to deal with over the last four years. We could get Tom Brady in his prime, whoever you want to bring back, they’re going to be really struggling behind that Giants O-line.
Q: He has to target Darren Waller, doesn’t he?
A: Definitely, yeah. Everybody’s onto what they did last year. They can’t protect, they’re an OK running team, and everything they want to do because they can’t protect is throw the ball 8 and 10 yards down the field, and everybody plays for the 8- and 10-yard pass play that they killed everybody with last year.
Q: Do you like Brian Daboll?
A: I like Daboll, I think he should be calling the plays all the time, the whole game. He’s a great coach, he was hired though because he’s a great offensive mind. I don’t understand when coaches do this. It’s not disrespect to [offensive coordinator] Mike Kafka, it’s more about I have the ultimate respect for Brian Daboll, the game plan designer and the playcaller. We’re going to take away the No. 1 thing that I’m good at, and why I got the job?
Q: What advice would you have for Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale against the Dolphins?
A: Do what you do, and then realize that even what you do in being successful, the bar is different in this football game — hey, if we hold them to under 400 yards or around there, it’s a victory for the day. Can you make them punt a few times? Can you get them to third down? To me, the biggest thing playing Miami is when you get them to third down, and they don’t have the ability to scare you with all the speed sweeps, the reverses, the fakes of that and the wide receiver screens, and it becomes a drop-back pass game? That’s where defenses have an advantage. That, and get your hands upfront on the D-line. One of the things Buffalo was great at last week, they got their hands up, batted balls down, and a bunch of times made Tua [Tagovailoa] throw other places ’cause he couldn’t see around the guys with their hands up.
Q: Thoughts on Tua?
A: He’s definitely more comfortable in the offense, more decisive. He’s got great feel as far as anticipation and touch and all of that. The big thing still will be can he stand in the pocket on third-and-8 in big games against really good defenses and in cold weather, and still be “that guy”? They have an All-Star team there. It’s as talented and as fast of an offense as we’ve ever seen in the NFL, and he’s doing a good job of wheeling and dealing to these guys.
Q: Tyreek Hill.
A: He’s the fastest player I’ve ever seen in the history of the NFL, it’s him or Deion Sanders. There’s not a more dangerous weapon on the offensive side of the field than Tyreek Hill.
Q: Is Micah Parsons the next Lawrence Taylor?
A: He’s the closest thing I’ve ever seen to Lawrence Taylor for sure. I’ve been saying that since his rookie year. It’s arguably the fastest or the quickest first step, right up there with Lawrence Taylor and Von Miller in his prime and all the great pass rushers there.
Q: What do you think of Cowboys-49ers on Sunday night?
A: The Cowboys are used to being the freakier team on the field and bullying people that way. They’re not going to bully this group, because they got a bunch of freaks, too. And the 49ers also have a size advantage on the Dallas Cowboys. Their offensive playbook is completely open now with the trustworthiness of Brock Purdy, [Christian] McCaffrey being in the system Year 2, and the rest of their cast of stars being totally healthy, which they haven’t been. This is a better 49er team than they’ve lost to here previously.
Q: What are your thoughts on the three rookie quarterbacks: Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson.
A: C.J. Stroud was my favorite coming out on the draft, and he’s, of course, still my favorite. C.J. Stroud’s special. He looks like he’s going to be a superstar. He’s got one of the quickest releases in football already, he’s one of the most accurate throwers in football already, and he’s a better athlete than people wanted to give him credit for at Ohio State. Anthony Richardson needs some polish and stuff like that, there’s no doubt he’s not perfect playing in the pocket, but you see his incredible talent. He has a chance to be a real superstar. Bryce Young: All the things that the people were worried about him coming out in the draft are all the things I’m still worried about. He plays very small, his arm is not that strong, he can’t play in the pocket when it collapses on him, and he’s not that fast when he doesn’t have the Alabama All-Star team around him. Coming from the Phil Simms-Bill Parcells-New York Giants school of thought, that could never be my quarterback.
Q: Could this be Bill Belichick’s last year?
A: I do, I think there’s a good chance. I think if you made me lay down money and bet on it, I would say next year’s the last year, but I think it’s one of these last two years for sure, and I think the team’s performance this year might be a big piece of evidence of whether he is this year or next year.
Q: Could you see Robert Kraft firing him?
A: I could see them just finally having like a disagreement over the future, and the look of the football team, and then just mutually parting ways. I don’t think the word “fire” is ever going to be used there.
Q: Describe Caleb Williams as a prospect.
A: He’s “the man.” Can play the position, can make any throw you want, has a bunch of different clubs in the bag as far as variety of throws, and then has a little bit of that Mahomes playmaking ability that’s special. I look at Caleb Williams and the kid from Washington, Michael Penix Jr., to be the two that catch my eye the most.
Q: Jordan Love?
A: I like his poise, he certainly doesn’t seem to be like a deer-in-the-headlights. He’s good in the pocket, he looks and lets plays develop downfield. But the consistent accuracy I think is something that we gotta continue to watch here.
Q: Dan Campbell’s Lions?
A: They’re not the Eagles, the Cowboys or the 49ers, but I think them and the Seahawks are that next two teams they’re in the NFC to watch out for.
Q: The Eagles?
A: The Eagles have the best roster in football. It’s an All-Star team. It’s the best offensive line we’ve seen in football since the ’92 Cowboys. But Super Bowl hangover, and then no Shane Steichen [now the Colts head coach], who’s s really good offensive mind, and [Jonathan] Gannon, who left to be the head coach at Arizona, is a damn good defensive mind. They’re not easily replaced, so I think they’re kind of still finding their way there. Their offensive and defensive line are the best in football. And then you could argue that they have the best tandem at receiver [A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith] in football.
Q: Mahomes or Josh Allen?
A: These are two of the most gifted quarterbacks in the history of football. These are Hall of Famers that are superstars and special and can run any offense and can make anything look good. They both have all-time arms. They both have all-time backyard ability in extending plays. They’re both all-time scramblers and runners. If you’re going to make me pick one, I’m gonna take Mahomes. I look at it more like OK, Mahomes is 1 and Josh Allen is 1a.
Q: How do you explain Baker Mayfield this year?
A: How do you explain Baker Mayfield falling off? He got screwed over [by the Browns’ Deshaun Watson pursuit] in the most epic way in the history of football. He gutted it out for a football team, and played with a broken shoulder, and then everybody in the media decided, “Let’s over analyze his play, even though we know he was playing with one f—–g arm.” Baker Mayfield has a big-time arm, he’s an awesome leader, he’s tough, and he’s taking care of the football.
Q: Kenny Pickett?
A: I like Kenny Pickett, he knows how to play the position, he’s a quarterback. His physical ability is not anything special though, so he’s a guy that needs a system a little bit. He moves pretty good, but his arm is barely above average for an NFL starting quarterback, so he’s not going to make lasers and game-changing throws. What they got there in Pittsburgh right now is a system that’s kind of ordinary and it doesn’t take advantage of all the things that Kenny Pickett can bring to the table.
Q: Will Geno Smith be more than a one-hit wonder?
A: Yes. The perception and everything became wrong, and it just all goes downhill. He got punched in the jaw in the Jets locker room and [by] the Jets fan base, which they love to do, got all over him. And then, he took over for Eli Manning, and the Giant fan base got mad at him because Eli’s starting streak got interrupted. They shouldn’t have done that. It wasn’t his fault, but he got blamed for that. The public perception can be wrong sometimes to such a degree that it motivates me to work harder.
Q: Taylor Swift?
A: It’s awesome, I love it. She’s the biggest star in the world. I grew up in the ’80s around Madonna and Michael Jackson, I don’t remember any summer ever with anybody I’ve ever seen in my life that I just saw with Taylor Swift. This isn’t like a contrived relationship [with Chiefs TE Travis Kelce], I know enough people here to know it’s a real relationship. It happened organically, and they’re both kind of enjoying the ride, and it’s good for the NFL, and I’m enjoying it.
Q: The Red River Rivalry?
A: Well, we’re [Texas] back, I know that. The Longhorns are back, it’s official, which is really cool.
Q: What do you like best about what you’re doing now: Pro Football Talk, Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast three times a week?
A: I love the game, and I love covering the whole league. I got a big mouth, I work hard, so that works well together. And I love dispelling the lazy, wrong narratives that are out there all the time.
Q: Mike Florio?
A: About as smart of an individual as I’ve ever been around. He’s not afraid to say or do the unpopular thing, which I got a lot of respect for.
Q: How would you sum up your NFL career?
A: Underwhelming … disappointing. I played eight years, but just as I was getting going and played in a playoff game I got hurt, and had a life-changing, career-altering injury that kind of put a damper on things. It definitely left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth as far as that’s concerned, and I certainly expected and wanted more out of my NFL playing career, that’s for sure.
Q: How frightening was your ruptured spleen in 2006?
A: In the moment, I was so uncomfortable and I’m so much pain and had so much blood in my abdomen that I was ready [to let] them to cut me open with a machete or a chainsaw if they had to. I was miserable, and I can still remember being on the bed there before I’m going to surgery and the doctor’s sitting there eating an apple before he’s about to cut me open. And I just remember thinking like, “Man, do whatever you gotta do.” When I think back about it, it’s frightening because I know I was close to death. I had just had my first kid, my daughter Charlotte had just been born then. They brought my wife in to say goodbye to me before I went in surgery because they weren’t sure. I lost nine pints of blood. It’s scarier now thinking back about it than it was actually in the moment.
Q: Why did you want to become a quarterback knowing that there would be so much pressure being Phil Simms’ son?
A: I loved the game, and I loved everything about it. I didn’t look at it as pressure with Phil Simms’ son when I was growing up. I was the kind of a kid that kind of embraced the pressure. I’d walk into a basketball court and I could hear people, “Oh, here’s the Simms kid,” or, “There’s the Simms kid,” or hear somebody say, “Hey your dad sucks,” or whatever. And I kind of took it like, “Yeah well, I’m going to show what the Simms kid has today when I’m going to put 35 points on you today.” Or strike out your whole team three times over.