After finally beating KC, Justin Simmons snags some hardware

Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons has been named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Simmons picked off Patrick Mahomes to essentially end the game, recovered a fumble and recorded two tackles in Denver’s dramatic 24-9 win. It stopped a brutal 16-game losing streak at the hands of the Chiefs.

INT ✅
Fumble recovery ✅
AFC Defensive Player of the Week ✅

Congrats, @jsimms1119! pic.twitter.com/eoxD7WS3kq

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 1, 2023

For Simmons, it’s the first time he’s won Defensive Player of the Week honors. He’s the first Broncos safety to capture the award since Kareem Jackson back in 2019, and the sixth ever to earn it. Simmons joins Jackson, T.J. Ward, John Lynch, Steve Atwater and Steve Foley on the prestigious list.

It was the fifth time in his career Simmons has intercepted Mahomes, the most of any NFL player against the future Hall of Famer. He has 29 career picks, tied for the lead in the NFL since making his debut in 2016.

The 3-5 Broncos were quiet at the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, poised to try to make a second-half run after winning two games in a row.

Simmons and the rest of the defense have given up just 45 combined points over the last three weeks after allowing at least 28 points per game in the four contests before that.

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