Clyde Simmons on Philadelphia Eagles Defense, his career at WCU, and Playing with Concussions

In The Front Row with Mike Vaccaro

Clyde Simmons was born in Lane, SC. His family moved to Wilmington, NC when he was young and sports highlighted his childhood. Playing multiple sports at New Hanover High School (alongside Ep. 55 guest Kenny Gattison), Simmons found his calling in football. Encouraged by Wildcats head coach Joe Miller, Simmons attended Western Carolina in the North Carolina mountains. During his four years, he helped lead the Catamounts to the 1983 NCAA I-AA National Championship game and was First Team All-America in 1985 He was inducted into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002. Scouts noticed his play and in 1986 the Philadelphia Eagles drafted him in the 9th round. He played for head coach Buddy Ryan and alongside Reggie White and Jerome Brown to anchor the NFL's top defense in 1991. He led the NFL in sacks in 1992 and was twice named to the Pro Bowl during his 8 years in Philly. Simmons played 7 more years in the NFL with stints in Arizona, Jacksonville, Cincinnati and Chicago. He finished his 15-year career with 121.5 sacks which is 22nd all-time. After working outside of football, Simmons made his way back to the sport as a coach both in the NFL and on the college level where he currently coaches defensive linemen at Tennessee State under head coach Eddie Georgie. Simmons also talks about concussions and what playing in the 1980s and 1990s NFL was like. He shares what he learned from coaches like Miller, Ryan and Tom Coughlin who coached him in Jacksonville. Plus, he tells us why it was important to return to WCU to graduate in 1996 and what makes his 2008 induction into the Great Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame so special. We also hear about his "welcome to the NFL' moment, which team he considered his biggest NFL rival and which quarterback he enjoyed sacking the most.