Chicago Bears defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons has quickly become one of the most important additions to the team’s defense following the blockbuster trade from the Tennessee Titans. However, fans watching Simmons during Sunday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might notice something unusual about his uniform: the bright orange sleeves underneath his jersey.
While the color might seem like a simple fashion choice, there is a much more personal reason behind it.
Bears Defensive Tackle Jeffery Simmons Has A Special Reason for Wearing Orange Sleeves
Simmons spent the first seven-and-a-half seasons of his NFL career with the Titans and developed a tradition of wearing bright red sleeves underneath his uniform.
The reason was simple: He wanted his daughter, Mulani Simmons, to be able to recognize him while watching football on television. With so many players wearing similar uniforms and being hard to recognize, the bright sleeves made it easier for her to spot her father.
That tradition didn’t change when Simmons was traded to the Bears. Instead, he simply switched from the red to orange so his now three-year-old daughter can recognize him with his new team.
It’s also the reason why a lot of the fans in the crowd are wearing orange; to give Simmons a warm welcome to Chicago.
Speaking with members of the Bears media the day after being traded to Chicago, he opened up about the emotions surrounding the move and how difficult it was to leave his family behind.
“To have that phone call with my family and to leave my daughter yesterday. That was probably the hardest part, hugging her before I headed to the airport,” Simmons said.
“Three years old at that age, they don’t really understand what’s about to happen, and from almost seeing her every day of the week to figure out the schedule now, it’s been a lot of emotions these last couple of days.”
Simmons Already Made an Impact With the Bears After Just One Game
Simmons’ first appearance with Chicago came just four days after the trade, and he admitted the emotions were difficult to manage, particularly during the national anthem before the game. He explained he kept reminding himself, “It’s just football,” as he prepared to make his Bears debut.
Despite that, he delivered an impressive performance, already appearing on 87% of the team’s defensive snaps and finishing with six tackles, one sack, and two tackles for loss as the Bears defeated the defending champions, the Seattle Seahawks, 34-17.
After the game, head coach Ben Johnson praised Simmons, saying, “He’s fit right in. You can feel his presence out there, whether it’s during the play or even after. You can feel him talking smack, which I think elevates everyone. To come in there and have a share of the lead in tackles and a sack in his first game, his impact was profound.”
Simmons also had some comments after his debut game with the Bears, saying, “If you block me one-on-one, I need to win the one-on-one. If I don’t win a one-on-one, the coaches should be on me. I hold myself to a high standard. It felt great to get my first sack as a Chicago Bear in my first game.”
It’s great to have someone like him on defense now.
Why Bears New Add Jeffery Simmons Wears Bright Orange Underneath His Jersey