Isaiah Simmons

Originally a first-round (8th overall pick) draft choice by the Arizona Cardinals in 2020…Traded to the Giants for a 2024 7th-round draft choice on Aug. 24, 2023.

TRANSACTIONS:

• Originally a first-round (8^th overall pick) draft choice by the Arizona Cardinals in 2020…Traded to the Giants for a 2024 7th-round draft choice on Aug. 24, 2023.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• In 4 seasons with the Cardinals (2020-22) and Giants (2023), Simmons played in all 67 regular-season games with 41 starts and played in one postseason game…Has played in 67 consecutive games to start his career…All of the starts were at linebacker…Totals included 291 tackles (201 solo), 19 passes defensed, 15 tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, 8.5 sacks, 8 forced fumbles, 5 interceptions, including touchdown returns of 56 and 54 yards, 3 fumble recoveries and 13 special teams tackles…He had 2 tackles (one solo) in his only postseason game.
• In 2023, Simmons played in all 17 games with 4 starts at inside linebacker for the Giants…Had 44 tackles (28 solo), 3 passes defensed, 2 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one interception (returned 54 yards for a touchdown, 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit, and 6 special teams tackles…Ranked 2nd on the team with a season-high 9 tackles (7 solo) in his first start as a Giant at Miami (10/8)…Intercepted Sam Howell and returned it 54 yards for a score with 16 seconds remaining at Washington (11/19)…Tallied his 3^rd career fumble recovery at Philadelphia (12/25)…Registered his first Giants sack along with 4 tackles (3 solo), a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit vs. the Rams (12/31).
• In 2022, Simmons played in all 17 games with 13 starts for the Cardinals…Recorded 99 tackles (68 solo), 4.0 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 4 quarterback hits, 2 interceptions, 7 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles and one fumble recovery, 7 passes defended, and 2 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown)
• Registered 3 tackles vs. Kansas City (9/11)...Recorded 2 tackles and forced one fumble that Byron Murphy returned 59 yards for the game-winning touchdown at Las Vegas (9/18)…Had a game-high and career-best 13 tackles (8 solo) vs. Philadelphia (10/9)…Recorded 5 tackles and collected his 3rd career interception when he picked off an Andy Dalton pass and returned it 56 yards for his first career touchdown at New Orleans (10/20)…Recorded 5 tackles and strip-sack of Kirk Cousins and recovered the fumble at Minnesota (10/30)…Led the defense with 8 tackles, 1.0 sack and one tackle for loss at the Chargers (11/27)...Totaled 6 tackles (2 solo) and intercepted a Mac Jones pass vs. New England (12/12)…Tallied a team-high 11 tackles (5 solo) vs. Tampa Bay (12/25).
• In 2021, started all 17 regular-season games for the Cardinals and played in the NFC Wild Card Game…Contributed a career-high 102 tackles (68 solo), 1.5 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, 4 quarterback hits, 4 forced fumbles, 7 passes defended and one interception…Recorded a season-high 9 tackles (7 solo) and intercepted a Ryan Tannehill pass at Tennessee (9/12)…Collected 8 tackles (6 solo) and forced one fumble vs. Minnesota (9/19).
• As a rookie with Arizona in 2020, he played in 16 games with 7 starts and had 46 tackles (37 solo), 2.0 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, 3 quarterback hits, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one interception…Earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors…Recorded a season-high 10 tackles (9 solo), at Seattle (11/19)…Picked off a Russell Wilson pass and returned it 12 yards for his first career interception vs. Seattle (10/25).

COLLEGE:

• In three seasons at Clemson (2017-19), Simmons played in 44 games and totaled 241 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, 4 interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 22 passes defensed, 5 forced fumbles and one fumble recovery…Started 29 of 30 games at linebacker in 2018-19 and totaled 196 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 16 passes defensed, 4 forced fumbles and one fumble recovery…As a junior in 2019, started all 15 games and received the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker, becoming the first Clemson player to win the award…Became the 6th unanimous All-American in school history, joining Terry Kinard (1982), Gaines Adams (2006), C.J. Spiller (2009), Da'Quan Bowers (2010) and Christian Wilkins (2018)…ACC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-ACC selection…Finalist for the Nagurski Trophy, the Bednarik Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy…Posted a team-high 107 tackles, 16 stops for loss, 8.0 sacks, 10 passes defensed, 3 interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery…In 2018, switched from safety to linebacker and played in 15 games with 14 starts…Registered a team-high 97 tackles, 9.5 stops for loss, 1.0 sack, 6 passes defensed, a career-high 3 forced fumbles, and his first career interception, which he returned for a touchdown…Also had a team-high 11 special teams tackles prior to bowl season…In 2017, played in 14 games and had 45 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, 6 passes defensed and one forced fumble.

PERSONAL:

• Earned a degree in sports communications in December 2019…Attended Olathe (Kan.) North High School, where he earned first-team all-state honors at both defensive back and wide receiver as a senior, which was his first season playing offense…Totaled 92 tackles on defense and had 29 receptions for 994 yards and 13 touchdowns (34.3 yards per reception)…Added 23 carries for 148 yards and 2 scores and had a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown on his only return of the year and a fumble return for a score…He was also the state long jump champion in 2014-15 and 2015 with a career best of 23-8…Brother, Victor Jr., played defensive back and linebacker at Kansas from 2011-14…Father, Victor Sr., was a collegiate track athlete…Teamed up with the Cardinals and Bose to donate 60,000 meals to the Harvest Compassion Center for its facilities in Phoenix, Maryvale and Chandler during the COVID-19 pandemic.