Eastern Washington University Athletics

The first Eastern football player to become a bonafide star in the National Football League, Simmons was recruited to Eastern not because of his football abilities but from the potential shown as a basketball player at Nathan Hale High School in Seattle, Wash. Under head coach Dick Zornes and offensive line coach Larry Hattemer, Simmons developed into a first team NCAA Division I-AA All-America offensive lineman in 1986. Eastern teams were 27-15-1 during his four years as an Eagle (1983-86), advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs in 1985. In the spring of 1987 he was drafted in the sixth round by Washington and was a fixture as a Redskin "Hog" for his entire 11-year NFL career. His debut as a rookie was against Philadelphia's Reggie White. He has played the past nine seasons mostly at right tackle for the Redskins, starting 80 games during that span. He blocked for former Washington State University quarterback Mark Rypien when Washington won the 1992 Super Bowl. In 1995 Simmons was selected to the Sports Illustrated All-NFC East team, and played 1,039 of a possible 1,042 downs. He started 104 games for the Redskins before retiring prior to the 1998 season while on the roster of the St. Louis Rams.