Simmons gets Player of the Week honors for a game-saving play
Isaiah Simmons has been something of a Swiss Army knife for the New York Giants, wearing a wide variety of hats for them. He’s played linebacker, safety, nickel corner, and special teams as the Giants have needed.
It’s that last role that’s earned him recognition after the Giants win over the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 5. Simmons has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his game-saving blocked field goal that resulted in a touchdown.
The Seahawks were faced with a very makable 47-yard field goal attempt to tie the game with a minute left and likely send the game to overtime. Simmons leaped over the long snapper to block Jason Meyers’ field goal attempt, leading to a recovery and return for a touchdown by Bryce Ford-Wheaton.
“I knew I was going to be able to get up high enough,” Simmons said. “My biggest thing was being able to double-bounce. So, land and go right back up. There’s no time for anything else. Once I felt myself clear, the only thing in my mind is touch and go, touch and go, touch and go. I guess my long jump skills came into play there.”
Simmons is a remarkable athlete and was drafted eighth overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2020 and was acquired by the Giants for a seventh-round pick in 2023. He played safety and linebacker for the Clemson Tigers in college and was regarded as a blue chip prospect. However, both the Cardinals and Giants have struggled to find a way to consistently use his varied skill set and incredible athleticism on defense.
Perhaps making a potentially game-saving play on special teams will give the Giants more incentive to get Simmons on the field for the defense. But for now, his special teams play certainly makes him well-worth mere seventh-round pick.
