"They lit a fire under me" - Isaiah Simmons makes feelings known on Giants passing on his contract extension
Linebacker Isaiah Simmons arrived in the league after the Arizona Cardinals drafted him with the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. After three seasons, he was traded to the New York Giants after the 2023 season.
However, Simmons did not have a long stint in New York as the Giants decided to pass up on extending his contract after the 2024 campaign.
In April, Isaiah Simmons decided to join the Green Bay Packers this upcoming season. He is looking forward to proving his worth in the league and becoming a key player for the Packers.
On Thursday, the linebacker interacted with the media following mandatory minicamp. During this interview, Simmons shared his true feelings about not being offered a contract extension by the New York Giants. Instead of taking it negatively, the linebacker is utilizing it as motivation for success.
"I'm actually very grateful for New York for what they did," Simmons said. "They lit a fire under me, and I'm ready to go."
During his debut campaign with the New York Giants, Isaiah Simmons recorded 50 total tackles, two tackles for loss, and 1.0 sacks on the field. The Giants brought the linebacker back for the 2024 season on a one-year deal worth $2 million.
Simmons saw playing time in all 17 games last season. He put up 21 total tackles and one quarterback hit while the Giants finished with a disappointing 3-14 campaign.
Isaiah Simmons excited for role on Packers
The Cardinals invested their 2020 first-round pick on acquiring the ex-Clemson star. However, Simmons could not live up to the expectations they had for him. In three seasons, the linebacker started 37 of the 50 games he played for the team.
Simmons recorded a total of 258 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits and 7.5 sacks in three years. However, when Jonathan Gannon became the head coach of the Cardinals in 2023, the linebacker did not fit into the culture. This led to him being traded away to the New York Giants.
After being asked to do several different things during his career, Simmons is now looking forward to having a more focused role with the Packers under defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
"I think really what I ran into most of my career is everybody wants me to do everything as opposed to letting me get really got at one thing first," Simmons said. "I fully believe in (Jeff Hafley) Haf's plan. He's letting me just lock in and learn a small portion first before we even think about expanding to anything else."
The Packers are scheduled to take on Simmons' ex-team, the Giants, in November.