Raiders rookie Jordan Simmons grateful for NFL chance
ALAMEDA, Calif. — A group of Southern California football coaches walked into Standard Station, a sports bar about 15 miles southwest of campus, several months ago. The establishment is known for its craft beer selection, half-pound gourmet burgers and nearly 20 televisions.
On Aug. 12, the amenities weren’t the main draw.
An exhibition game between the Raiders and Arizona Cardinals was developing. By most accounts, it was a snoozer. Quarterback Derek Carr didn’t play. The starters who did were subbed out quickly. The Cardinals led 17-3 at halftime in a game whose result did not matter.
The Southern Cal coaches were the rowdiest ones there.
“We were probably the only people in El Segundo, California, at a bar having some beers, cheering at the top of our lungs, to see Jordan Simmons go the second half of the first preseason game,” said Mike Goff, a defensive quality control coach. “While most people usually turn it off by then, we were glued for every offensive series. When you get a chance to see that, you can’t help but be so proud of someone. That’s why I like to think most people get into coaching.”
Simmons, a guard on the Raiders’ practice squad, won’t play Sunday in their season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. But as he has all season, he will develop during the practice week. He will travel with the team. He will stand on the game-day sideline and, without complaint, watch fellow guards Kelechi Osemele and Gabe Jackson work. Having barely played in college, he appreciates the opportunity to learn in the NFL.
As many freshmen do, Simmons arrived at Southern Cal as a heralded prospect.
He redshirted as a freshman in 2012. The next year, he played three snaps on Oct. 19 against Notre Dame for a starter who exited to injury but returned. A day later, Simmons was informed his shot had arrived. He would start the next game versus Utah at Memorial Coliseum.
Except he wouldn’t.
During a light Monday practice on Oct.21, there was a one-on-one drill in which offensive and defensive linemen took turns playing wide receiver and cornerback versus each other. Simmons watched and waited, hoping for his name not to be called. “Papa Chubbs” was his college nickname.
“I just had a bad feeling about the drill in general,” Simmons said. “I was like, ‘I don’t need to be doing this.’”
Then he heard it.
Chubbs! You’re up!
Simmons, at well over 300 pounds, played cornerback. He covered a defensive lineman. A quarterback threw a pass short. Simmons tried to plant his left foot and break up the ball, but his foot stuck to the turf. Torn ACL. Reconstructive surgery. Season over.
His road back began.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2014, the knee was not ready. In 2015, he moved to the defensive line, given the group was thin, but his knee flared up again. Having barely played since 2011 at Encino High in Los Angeles, he began to wonder if football wasn’t meant to be.
But he stuck with it. He focused on rest, rehab and was moved back to offense as an emergency reserve. In 2016, he made his first career starts at right tackle on Oct. 1 against Arizona State and Oct. 8 versus Colorado. At USC’s pro day this March, Raiders offensive line coach Mike Tice scouted him and, despite the lack of game film, graded Simmons as a high-priority undrafted free agent.
Simmons signed after the draft.
Gabe Jackson, the team’s star right guard, said Thursday that he thought Simmons reminded of himself as a rookie, a talented but raw player who merely needed reps to develop. Those reps began to come this preseason — he saw 143 on offense, including 31 versus Arizona.
Goff spoke highly of Simmons’ attitude, coachability and work ethic in college. He will return to the Southern California region this weekend, capping a season spent learning behind the likes of Osemele, Jackson and Tice.
“I’m really glad I stuck with it because look where I’m at now,” Simmons said. “I couldn’t be in a better situation.”
Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.
