Justin Simmons continues to be honored for his incredible work, both on and off the field, throughout his time with the Denver Broncos.
It was announced on Tuesday morning that Simmons would once again be the franchise’s nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which honors players for, “outstanding leadership both on the field and in the community.”
Even more impressive, is the fact that this makes Simmons the first player in Broncos history to be the team’s nominee for three consecutive seasons. Wesley Woodyard, who was nominated in 2010, 2011 and 2013, is the only other Bronco player to ever be nominated three different times.
The nomination should come as no surprise to those that have followed Simmons’ charitable efforts off the field.
In 2020 he launched his own charity, The Justin Simmons Foundation, which focuses on helping kids through youth development, hunger relief and educational initiatives, among other projects.
His “31 for the Holidays” program, launched this year, will look to provide holiday gifts for 130 children while supporting 25 families.
Simmons also focused on multiple social justice causes, mainly fighting for decarceration of non-violent offenders. As a result, he was featured in the American Civil Liberties Union’s Colorado Redemption campaign, and he has continuously met with the office of the governor of Colorado, Jared Polis.
If Simmons manages to win the national award this year, he will become the first Denver Bronco to do so since John Elway won it in 1992, and he will be honored with a special jersey patch, honoring his remarkable work in and around the community, for the rest of his NFL career.
