Justin Simmons Drops Expletive on Kareem Jackson's New Critics

Fighting against the grain has come to define the long and productive NFL career of Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson. However, now more than ever, Jackson has found himself on the pointy end of NFL discipline —to the tune of $89,670 in fines accrued thus far.

While media and Broncos fans alike can bandy around the predictable accusation that Jackson is simply a 'dirty player,' for the league to suggest such things is nearly unprecedented. On the other hand, the Broncos locker room continues to stand behind its trusted leader as the vultures circle in ever-increasing numbers.

On Wednesday, fellow Broncos safety Justin Simmons broke free from his usual podium diplomacy to rip the league for helping to brand Jackson as dirty.

"Even referring to the letter that was sent to Kareem that, in so many words, called him a dirty player, that bothers me as a teammate," Simmons said via ESPN. "I would not be half the player I am if it wasn't for Kareem, if it wasn't for the knowledge he has bestowed upon me, both on and off the field."

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Mud can stick in the NFL, and apparently a lot more than Jackson's original four-game suspension, which originated from his controversial ejection from Week 7's victory over the Green Bay Packers. Even after Jackson's appeal with NFL officer Derrick Brooks on Tuesday succeeded in part, with his suspension being reduced to two games, Simmons remained livid at the conduct of the league's judiciary system.

"The whole 'dirty player' analogy we're kind of trying to stick to his name and his reputation is, excuse my language, absolute bulls**t," Simmons said.

It has become clear that a singular act of beyond-the-rules violence on the playing field will no longer stand alone. Previous violations will come to bear on the severity of the punishment the NFL hands down.

For a team mired in a 2-5 hole, such controversies can rip a club apart. This time around, it's found the Broncos players coming together strongly to defend the ever-popular Jackson.

Such unity is entirely organic and heartfelt, and if anything, Broncos head coach Sean Payton has jumped on board with the pack mentality his players are exhibiting. Payton defended his group on Wednesday when he admitted he was part of the group that put together Jackson's appeal, defending the safety's reputation and bringing into question how the NFL interpreted the team captain's tackling technique.

"I know Kareem, I know his heart and I know the way he's played," Payton said. "I think it's an easy narrative to say, 'Well, he's just an old-timer playing in a new-timer's game.' When you see the play, his head is removed from the forcible contact. Defenseless is a little bit more of an issue relative to the position the receiver's in."

Undoubtedly, the Broncos must tread with extreme caution moving forward — or they run a real risk of putting more targets on their collective backs. Simmons very wisely reaffirmed his position that player safety is always of paramount importance to everyone, irrespective of the controversy over Jackson's playing style.

"I love the fact we're implementing things league-wide that are helping us, that are going to help us after our careers, stay healthy, be healthy and protect our brains, so I agree with [the rule] on the neck or head areas," Simmons said. "I think when the hit is to the shoulder it doesn't fall into that spectrum."

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