Patriots’ John Simon personifies dependability: ‘You can count on him’

FOXBORO — Jamie Collins, Dont’a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy have seemed to grab all the attention and a lot of the credit for the Patriots defense’s historic start this season — and for good reason.

But there’s another member of the Patriots linebacker group known as the “Boogeymen” that deserves some shine, even if he doesn’t necessarily want it: John Simon.

The veteran linebacker has flown under the radar this season, but his contributions have been significant. His other teammates have earned the headlines, and Simon is just fine with that.

“Those guys absolutely deserve it. I’ve never been one to kind of seek out attention,” Simon said. “I try to avoid all the whatever you want to call it, but I enjoy being here. We have a great group of guys, those guys definitely deserve everything that’s coming to them for how they’ve been playing.”

As humble as he sounds, Simon certainly belongs in that category, too.

After surprisingly getting cut by the Colts prior to the 2018 season, Simon signed with the Pats and contributed to their Super Bowl run last year. And after a quietly strong preseason, he made the team and has carved out a sizable role within the Pats defense.

Simon has started in five games and has seemed to make a big play each week, whether it’s getting pressure on the quarterback, being in the right spot for an interception against the Giants in Week 6 or strip-sacking Jets quarterback Sam Darnold in Week 7.

“It’s fun,” Simon said. “We’re playing well, it’s early in the season and we have to keep it going, but to have a role and be able to come in to work every day knowing that you’re contributing to some of the team’s success is what you want. You just continue to work hard and earn the respect of the guys day in and day out.”

He may not be a household name, but inside the Patriots locker room, his teammates and coaches know his value. A few weeks ago, linebackers coach DeMarcus Covington called Simon “the definition of a player we want” for his intelligence, toughness and dependability.

That’s always seemed to be the case with Simon. Patriots special teams ace Nate Ebner was teammates with Simon for three years together at Ohio State, and he said the linebacker hasn’t changed a bit.

“He’s a guy that’s going to do everything he can to do his job to the best of his ability and really put the team first in any role he asked to do,” Ebner said. “He tries to do it with excellence and that’s kind of how he was at Ohio State. I think maybe his football IQ is a little higher now obviously being in the NFL as long as he has been.

“Always a tough SOB, he’s always been that way. Blue collar, hard worker, quiet, but not afraid of the grind, embraces it and I think I’m the same way. I think that’s why we get along so well.”

Even if his former coaches hold him in the highest regard. A fourth-round pick in 2013, Simon spent his rookie season with the Ravens, and even though he didn’t play much before being signed off their practice squad the following season by the Texans, he certainly left an impression on Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

“He was a guy that I just personally loved,” Harbaugh said. “I thought he had a real knack to get to the quarterback and play the run, and just nobody wanted to be a good football player more than John. To see him and the success he’s had there is just a testament to the game, really. But, a lot of respect for him. I wish we would have been able to keep him. I wish we had kept him. He’s done a great job.”

The Patriots are certainly happy to have Simon, who embodies their culture and takes pride in how he goes about his business.

“It’s just an attitude,” Simon said. “I just try to be a guy who does the maximum effort and knows he’s a guy that can be relied upon day in and day out. I think that’s just how I was raised and a guy who knows he might not be the most athletic but he’s going to go until the whistle blows every play, every quarter.

“The NFL’s a what have you done for me lately business, so you just try to keep it going year in and year out, day in and day out.”

It’s that type of consistency and dependability that have earned him respect in the locker room. That may not grab the headlines, but contributes to the Patriots’ success all the same.

“He’s one of those guys that I know I can count on, and those guys are far and few between,” Ebner said. “They’re not everywhere. So when you look at him, and whether he’s battling something or had a bad play or something, he’s somebody you know with confidence that you can count on him, and that’s a good feeling to have as a teammate.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/325sKvj