Justin Simmons, one of the faces of the Denver Broncos in the post-Peyton Manning era, has announced his retirement. After spending the 2024 season as a member of the Atlanta Falcons and missing the 2025 season, the safety has called it a career at 32 years old after spending nine seasons in the league.
The timing of the announcement landed nearly two months after the start of the league year. With no signable contracts sent his way, the former Broncos star has stepped away permanently. However, with the end here, now is a moment to celebrate his accomplishments, including the money he made. Here’s a breakdown of his earnings over the years and his final total.
Justin Simmons’ Final NFL Earnings Tally
According to Spotrac, the safety earned $70,371,662 in his nine compensated seasons in the league. Roughly $7.6 million of that amount was paid by the Atlanta Falcons, while the Denver Broncos paid the majority of his career earnings with $62.7 million.
His most lucrative season was in 2021, when he earned $17 million. His earnings were roughly $2 million or less in his first four seasons before his earnings jumped in 2020 to $11.4 million or more from 2020 to 2023. After 2023, his yearly earnings slid below double digits for the first time since 2019.
After his $7.6 million in 2024, Simmons’ salary dropped to zero as he spent a season out of football before announcing his retirement on Apr. 29.
Justin Simmons Finishes Career With Notable Accomplishments
Justin Simmons’ career has come and gone, but with his career ending, Simmons managed to clinch one feat. Simmons earned multiple interceptions in each season of his career, with at least four interceptions in four of his nine seasons.
He led the league in interceptions in 2022 and earned his second and final Pro Bowl appearance in his final year with the Broncos in 2023. Simmons also earned 80+ total tackles in four consecutive seasons, from 2018 through 2021, and 90+ tackles from 2019 through 2021.
Simmons’ exit signals the changing times for Denver, putting more distance between now, when the team won the AFC in the regular season, and the post-Peyton Manning era, when the team failed to make the playoffs from 2016 through 2023.
While there wasn’t much for fans to celebrate during those years, Simmons was one consistent reason fans turned on the game. Now, Simmons will be able to sit alongside the rest of Broncos Country to watch the team play.
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