Simmons said he told teammates he was going to block the kick
The game-clinching blocked field goal by Isaiah Simmons of the New York Giants on Sunday did not happen by accident. It was a play the Giants has been planning since Tuesday.
Simmons, lined up in the middle on Seattle Seahawks placekicker Jason Myers’ 47-yard attempt, leaped between the guard and center, blocked the kick, Bryce Ford-Wheaton scooped up the ball, ran 60 yards for a touchdown in the final minute and the Giants had secured a 29-20 victory.
“I think it was Tuesday when Ghoby [special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial] brought that play up to me,” head coach Brian Daboll said. “We talked about who would be a good candidate to do the jump, and Isaiah came to mind. He executed perfectly.”
Simmons called Ghobrial a “mastermind” and said he knew he would block the kick if given the opportunity.
“I’ve been telling them all day long, I’m going to block that if he calls it,” Simmons said. “I’m like, if he calls that play, I’m going to block it. I’m like, I promise you I’m going to block it.
“I told him [Ford-Wheaton] and Nick McCloud, I said, listen, get ready to scoop the ball. I said, that’s all you need to do? Look at that ball and scoop it, because I’m telling you, I’m going to block it. So, scoop it.
“And hey, he was right there waiting for it and boom. The rest is history.”
Daboll, confident the block would work, was impatient for it to be used.
“I kept asking for it during the game. I thought we probably had a chance there. And Ghoby was like I just want to set it up one more, one more,” Daboll said.
“Look there’s risk reward to it because if you get a penalty then it’s a first down for the offense. I thought Ghoby did a great job of just setting up the rush. Called it at the perfect time. And then Isaiah’s over there before the play practicing get offs and what he’s doing. So he was prepared to go.
“Well executed play in a critical situation.”
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
: CBS pic.twitter.com/LXWINjf0oB
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 6, 2024
Seahawks fans complained that the play was illegal. The NFL said it is:
NFL officiating rules analyst Walt Anderson thru league spokesman via pool reporter @BradyHenderson says Giants’ field-goal block pushing down #Seahawks long-snapper Chris Stoll was legal because it was push into his back not his head or neck.
Every NFL team should do that then pic.twitter.com/LcgJqisKnM
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) October 7, 2024
