In the fall of 2012, Matt Simms wondered if he would ever get another chance.
The quarterback had been cut at the end of training camp that year and spent the fall working with high school quarterbacks and getting a few tryouts with NFL teams. But he could not be sure if he would ever put on an NFL uniform again.
“There was that possibility,” Simms said this week. “I was trying to be as realistic with myself as possible. I knew I was fighting an uphill battle. Every year you’re not in the league, you’re further away from getting back in.”
But the Jets kept calling Simms that fall every time they had wide receivers in to try out. He was the guy throwing to them. The Jets told him they liked what they saw and they would give him another shot in 2013.
In one of his last acts as general manager, Mike Tannenbaum signed Simms the day after the Jets’ 2012 season ended. Simms returned to the Jets a different quarterback in the spring of 2013 and began to turn heads.
“That time away from the game made me appreciate the opportunities that I had in the past,” Simms said. “Then, when I was given another opportunity, I just took advantage of it and stopped fighting against myself and just enjoyed the moment. I started just playing the game I love and not trying to prove other people wrong.”
Simms will get the majority of playing time at quarterback in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Eagles. It was in this game a year ago Simms made it clear the Jets had to keep him on the roster.
Mark Sanchez and Greg McElroy were both hurt and Geno Smith was slated to start Week 1, leaving Simms to play the entire preseason finale.
“It was just a great platform for me to just show the rest of the league and our organization that I can play real good quarterback,” Simms said. “I showed my talents with my arm, my feet, as well and my decision-making. It was just a great platform for me to go out and show my skill-set. It worked out well.”
Yeah, you could say that. Simms was 33-of-44 passing for 285 yards. It was a throwback, watching a Simms beat the Eagles at the Meadowlands.
The game solidified Simms’ spot on the roster and the Jets cut McElroy a few days later. When Sanchez was ruled out for the season, Simms became Smith’s backup, despite the Jets bringing in veterans Brady Quinn and David Garrard during the season.
That gave Simms confidence entering this season, despite knowing he had no chance to beat out Smith to be the team’s starter or Michael Vick to be the No. 2.
“My mindset was just show everyone again why I was the backup last year and earned that spot and kept that spot the entire year,” Simms said. “Just to continue to improve and show everyone that I am a good quarterback and last year wasn’t a fluke and that I can be a really good quarterback in this league.”
Simms has impressed the coaching staff, and it appears he will be the team’s No. 3 quarterback this year, beating out draft pick Tajh Boyd. The final cuts will come Saturday. Listening to quarterbacks coach David Lee, it’s hard to see Simms being one of them.
“Matt Simms has improved as much as any guy I think I can ever remember coaching,” Lee said. “Early on, he threw so hard our backs couldn’t catch it. There was no touch. He developed some touch, [and] developed more touch. Right now he is accurate. [Against the Giants] is as good as I ever saw him play. I mean he played great. … He has really improved and you all can see it. His accuracy, that’s what you see, and the ball coming out faster. He knows where he is going faster and I love Matt Simms. He is special.”