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What Jeffery Simmons Did After Monday's Win Told Caleb Williams Plenty About the Bears DT

Caleb Williams cited a situation in the Bears' locker room that he said told him plenty about the leadership the new defensive end is giving the team.
Gene Chamberlain|
A jubilant Jeffery Simmons greets longtime rival Quenton Nelson after Monday night's Bears win.
A jubilant Jeffery Simmons greets longtime rival Quenton Nelson after Monday night's Bears win. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams admits he hasn't had time yet to get to know his team's new defensive leader, Jeffery Simmons.

Williams does appreciate the pressure his new teammate is putting on the opposing quarterback and especially leadership he's bringing to the other side of the ball. That leadership takes on many forms, some beyond what fans might imagine.

"The energy he brings — I've played versus him, the trash talking and all of that — it's fun having him on our side," Williams said Wednesday at Halas Hall. "And then the leadership aspect of it."

Williams cited a situation after the game. Williams always tells teammates to make sure to clean up after themselves in the locker room before leaving to make it easier for those employed by the team who must do this. But he said Simmons hadn't been with the team yet the last time he said it.

"But one of the first things he does after the game is cleaning up," Williams said. "He's an All-Pro guy, he's a this and that. I mean, he could walk out and nobody say anything. Nobody would pay any mind. And he's cleaning up the whole locker room, offense and defensive side.

"That's who he is, and we’re happy we have him on our side. It's going to help the guys. I truly think he's going to lead those guys and make those guys better. I think that Monday was a first example of it.”

Simmons made a sack and team-high six tackles but what he did to help teammates in the game by occupying blockers was at least as important. It helped free up Montez Sweat for a sack and several other plays when pressure was applied.

Pro Football Focus gave the Bears only 12 pressures in the game and Simmons got only two, proving just the threat of his rush made a difference or else that PFF watched the game with its eyes shut. PFF had the Bears with 16 and 18 pressures in the two games prior to Simmons' arrival. Sweat did get credited with four pressures on Monday, and two QB hit and blitzing cornerback Kyler Gordon cracked one of Sam Darnold's ribs with a hit on the game's second play, according to Seattle coach Mike Macdonald.

Simmons stressed that leadership aspect on Wednesday, as well, when he spoke in the locker room.

"I didn't come in here to try to change anything that's already been built around here," Simmons said Wednesday. "My thing is I can help elevate that even more. That's also with my play but also off the field. That's where a lot of games are won — by doing the little things, the things that we may think don't matter, the things that may seem small at the time. I think that's what helps good teams become great teams.

"That's always my goal. When i step into that locker room. The impact I have in the locker room, the things that I say, that's just like a domino effect."

It helps out the cleaning people, too.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.