Justin Simmons, a stalwart of the Denver Broncos, recently retired after a stellar nine-year career in the NFL. But before he hung up his cleats for good, there were rumors of him potentially joining the Denver Broncos’ heated AFC West rival, the Kansas City Chiefs. Simmons, however, quickly shut down those rumors, proving that he bleeds orange and blue.

In the May 5 appearance on the DNVR Broncos podcast, Simmons elaborated on the rumors when he was asked if Kansas City ever reached out to him.

“Well, no, they didn’t. And I never reached out to them. So I wasn’t gonna… I was like, ‘If God wants me to go, then they’re gonna have to call me because I ain’t going,’” he remarked.

Given his stellar play in Denver, fans already held him in high regard. But his recent comments likely earned him even more admiration in the Mile-High City, given that few teams are as disliked among the Denver Broncos fan base as the Chiefs.

The Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs share one of the league’s longest-standing rivalries. Since the American Football League (AFL) was established in 1960, the two teams have remained division rivals. This continued in the AFC West post the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. They’ve faced off a total of 132 times, including 1 postseason game. The Chiefs lead the all-time series record 73–59.

Justin Simmons himself put together a standout career with the Broncos. He was drafted out of Boston College in the third round in 2016. Simmons went on to earn four Second Team All-Pro selections and two Pro Bowl nods. He was also the NFL’s co-leader in interceptions in 2022. Simmons spent the final year of his career with the Atlanta Falcons. In addition to his high production, Simmons was remarkably durable. He started in 124 games over the course of his nine-year career.

But Justin Simmons’ impact with the Broncos wasn’t just defined by his résumé; he sustained that level of play during one of the franchise’s more disappointing and transitional stretches.

Justin Simmons’ legacy defined by Broncos’ wilderness years

From 2011 to 2015, the Denver Broncos dominated the AFC West. The team won five straight division titles and reached two Super Bowls during the Peyton Manning era. This included winning Super Bowl 50. Over those five years, Denver compiled a whopping 58–22 record. The Broncos have since found resurgent success under their most recent head coach, Sean Payton. They made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, including a 14–3 campaign in 2025 that saw them reach the AFC Championship Game.

From 2016 to 2023, which was the entirety of Justin Simmons’ tenure with the Broncos, the franchise failed to make the playoffs once. In that same span, they cycled through five different head coaches: Gary Kubiak, Vance Joseph, Vic Fangio, Nathaniel Hackett, and Sean Payton. Despite that instability, Simmons remained a stalwart and an anchor for a rudderless organization.

Serving as a beacon during that dark stretch in the Broncos’ history has enhanced Justin Simmons’ legacy with the franchise’s faithful. His recent comments rejecting any idea of joining the Chiefs only strengthen that bond.