From the time he was a child, Chris Simms knew a place in sports media was an option for his career. He grew up the son of Phil Simms, who played in the NFL and built his own media career following his playing days with ESPN, NBC and CBS Sports. Simms’ teenage years were filled with witnessing firsthand how the grind of a second act commences. Like any game plan, there’s study, communication and a commitment to always being prepared for what lies ahead in the role you’re presenting.
“I just try to be who I am. What I took from my father was his work and study. How he reinforced his football knowledge for television,” explains Simms, who is now in his 10th season with NBC Sports. “He took pride in dispelling the perception that was out there if it was wrong. Where I’m different than my dad is I’m not afraid to say anything … I’ve always had a big mouth.”
Simms leans on his New Jersey roots and upbringing in his no-nonsense approach to providing analysis through a football lens. He’s never afraid to call out a player for poor performance. But he’s also just as open to attacking and debunking a narrative.
Maybe that’s why, instead of pursuing a coaching route following an earlier-than-expected conclusion to his NFL career, a role in sports media was a natural fit for Simms.
“I was obsessed with football from an early age. Of course, I envisioned being the man and winning Super Bowls, never having to work again. That obviously didn’t happen, but I knew media was an option,” said Simms. “I felt comfortable in media because of all the years watching my dad. Plus, people have always told me from Austin to Tampa Bay that I would be good with it.”
Putting In The Study
After years of taking mental notes while watching his father’s media career, Simms attempted to follow much of what made his father successful: devotion to study and preparation, leaning on his NFL pedigree and openly communicating with people in and around the game. He never intentionally tried to do anything different from his father. Instead, he focused on building his own brand in the opinion and analysis side of media.
Currently, Simms hosts two weekday programs for NBC Sports: a two-hour morning show alongside Pro Football Talk founder Mike Florio and the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast with co-host Connor Rogers. Simms admits balancing two daily programs is a grind. However, he enjoys every second of preparing for them by staying up to date on everything surrounding the NFL.
“My preparation is the key to everything for me. With anything, knowledge allows you the power to speak freely and be yourself. That’s a big part of the balancing part of my job,” explains Simms. “The shows are the easy part. Afterwards, it’s all about getting after it and learning some nuance about everything in the NFL.”
Simms still has the same appetite for watching film in his media career that he did while playing. He’s constantly looking at certain plays, schemes and moments to provide added context to the discussion at hand. While PFT Live is more geared toward the news of the day, Simms’ work with Unbuttoned gives him an opportunity to take a deeper dive into the findings from his film study.
His work has gotten noticed. Much like several NFL broadcast analysts, Simms says he’s had conversations about joining an NFL franchise, an aspiration he’s not shy about sharing in his work with NBC Sports.
“I talk about it often. I’ve had some people reach out to me. Nothing substantial where I’m going to leave where I am right now with the money I’m making to jump ship and go do that. But that’s an aspiration of mine,” said Simms. “It would have to be the right way and the right place as well. But definitely something that interests me in a big way.”
Navigating Clip Culture
Leaning on his authenticity, Simms is not unlike other members of sports media when it comes to providing context. While he doesn’t often use social media, he has received his fair share of responses to clip culture surrounding the content he provides. That’s why he’s evolved his approach. Providing enough context to make his points within a shorter timeframe.
Yet, he understands that even when adapting his approach, it’s still nearly impossible to avoid becoming a victim of clip culture.
“At times, people just clip off one spot and only see that on social media. That’s when I find myself responding on social media, telling them to watch the full clip,” said Simms. “You’re taking a 10-second blurb that you think is negative about a player. When I just spent four minutes talking about how awesome that player was. But I happen to mention one negative and that’s the one everyone ran with. That can be the annoying thing about the job, but at times it shows people are paying attention and engaged.”
Simms recently experienced the pitfalls of clip culture during halftime of Oregon’s victory over USC last month. Following a targeting penalty that sent Oregon quarterback Dante Moore to the hospital, Simms stated during his halftime analysis that Moore put linebacker Desman Stephens in a no-win situation by sliding late. He also called the hit a “Debbie Downer” moment.
“They knew what I was going to say. They wanted me to speak first. I didn’t have anyone saying don’t say that. Definitely not,” explained Simms. “We did the halftime, and I got a lot of texts from football people saying I saw it like you saw it. You explained the situation the right way.”
Soon after the commentary, a clip of Simms’ analysis went viral online. The following day, Simms shared an apology for his analysis.
“Probably 35 minutes after halftime, someone came over to me and told me people were bent out of shape about what I said. They told me one of the bosses at NBC called, and they were getting backlash about it,” said Simms. “I could have definitely handled it better. I should have been more emphatic about the severity of the optics and the injury itself … But if you watched the full halftime, I did talk about the USC player for about 90 seconds. But all the clips on social media never showed us getting on the USC player.”
Change Is Constant
2026 is a year of change for Simms. While he still has a full plate between PFT Live, Unbuttoned and studio coverage with NBC’s college football coverage, it’s the first time in seven years he’s not a part of Football Night in America, NBC Sports’ signature NFL programming surrounding Sunday Night Football.
Simms says his experience working on the program provided him with a different perspective regarding network television: timed analysis, avoiding overtalking and providing viewers with insights that brought them closer to the game.
“Yeah, it stings I’m not on that show anymore. I did love doing it, and it kind of felt like it was coming that way. When they tell you you’re awesome on the show and grading higher than anybody every week, then you don’t get to go on the show in the future, you’re a little confused by it,” explained Simms.
NBC Sports decided to go in another direction and brought former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to the program. For Tomlin, Football Night in America is his first entry into sports media after 19 successful seasons as a head coach. However, much like Bill Cowher, whom Tomlin replaced two decades ago, Tomlin continues to be a much-discussed candidate to return to the coaching ranks, even in his first year with NBC Sports.
“I don’t see him [Tomlin] staying long term. He’s really good at it, but I think he’s a great coach. He’s a great leader of men. Also, the best communicator of any coach I’ve ever been in a locker room with,” said Simms. “The way they’re paying these coaches now, if there’s a situation he likes, I don’t think he’ll turn it down. That’s just a guess.”
Simms continues to be a student of the sports media industry. He says working alongside Florio for more than a decade has opened his eyes to the business behind it. Because of this, Simms believes independent media is beginning to rival the broadcast media roles that were once held in high regard.
While he holds in high regard the opportunities NBC Sports has provided him, he says it’s impossible to ignore how the sports media landscape continues to change.
“We’re seeing how the industry is evolving now. Look at what Ryan Clark is doing, for example. You don’t need to be on NBC to be popular. That’s not a thing anymore,” explains Simms. “I haven’t thought about going independent. I have another year and a half on my contract, but I’m certainly not afraid to do whatever is best for me, my brand and my family. I’m not going to be like, ‘I have to be on Peacock and NBC.’ If there’s a better deal out there and it makes more sense for me, I certainly would not be afraid to make that move.”
For Simms, the next chapter isn’t necessarily about following a predetermined path. It’s about continuing to find the right one.
His father showed him the value of preparation, discipline and understanding that a career in sports media requires more than simply knowing the game. His playing career gave him the experience to speak with authority, while a decade at NBC Sports has provided the platform to develop his own voice. Now, as the industry continues to move toward personalities, podcasts and independent platforms, Simms understands that the definition of a successful sports media career is changing, too.
That doesn’t mean he’s ready to walk away from NBC Sports. It means he’s no longer limiting himself to the traditional expectations of a media career.
“I want to make Chris Simms Unbuttoned a mainstay where football fans can go for good conversations and real opinions. It’s not just shit I’m throwing at a fan. It’s content I worked on and studied on. That’s where my mentality is right now,” says Simms.
At 46, Simms still approaches football the same way he did as a player. Study the film, understand the details and be prepared to defend what you believe. The difference now is that the next play isn’t happening on a football field. It’s happening in an industry where the rules are changing just as quickly as the game he spends his days analyzing.
And if his career has taught him anything, it’s that preparation creates options. Simms is ready for whatever comes next.
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