Corey Simon
Encyclopedia
Corey Jermaine Simon is a retired American football
defensive tackle of the National Football League
. He was drafted
by the Philadelphia Eagles
sixth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft
. He played for the Eagles, Indianapolis Colts
and Tennessee Titans
in his career before retiring during the 2007 season.
Simon was selected to one Pro Bowl
in his career, in 2003
.
in Pompano Beach, Florida
. As a senior, he was the Miami Herald's defensive player of the year, named to the All-USA squad by USA Today
, and a Super Prep Dream Team selection.
for the Florida State
Seminoles where he was considered to be the most dominating defensive lineman in college football. In his senior season, Simon was a Consensus All-America
n and All-Atlantic Coast Conference
first-team selection and was a Finalist for the Lombardi Award
and Outland Trophy
. He ended his career at FSU by helping his team win a national championship. His 44 tackles behind the line of scrimmage tied the school career-record first set by Ron Simmons
.
, starting in four NFC Championship games during his tenure with the team. Philadelphia only reached the Super Bowl once during these years, losing Super Bowl XXXIX
to the New England Patriots
, 24-21. After the 2004 season, the Eagles placed the franchise tag
on Simon, which he refused to sign. After contract negotiations failed to produce a long-term deal, the Eagles lifted the franchise tag, making Simon an unrestricted free agent.
, for whom he played the entire 2005 season. In 2006, Corey underwent surgery, was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform / Non-Football Injury list during training camp, and did not play in any games. He did not attend Super Bowl XLI
with other inactive players, and was not invited to the Super Bowl ring ceremony in June 2007.
On August 1, 2007, Colts owner Jim Irsay
stated that Corey's release from the team was imminent once a settlement could be reached. The team announced Simon's termination on Saturday, August 4, 2007.
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive tackle of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
sixth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. He played for the Eagles, Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
in his career before retiring during the 2007 season.
Simon was selected to one Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
in his career, in 2003
2004 Pro Bowl
The 2004 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 8, 2004 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was NFC 55, AFC 52, the most points scored in a Pro Bowl game. Marc Bulger of the St. Louis Rams was the game's MVP.-Game summary:...
.
Early years
Corey Simon attended Blanche Ely High SchoolBlanche Ely High School
- Sports :-External links:* -- Official web site...
in Pompano Beach, Florida
Pompano Beach, Florida
Pompano Beach ) is a city in Broward County, Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean just to the north of Fort Lauderdale. The nearby Hillsboro Inlet forms part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 99,845...
. As a senior, he was the Miami Herald's defensive player of the year, named to the All-USA squad by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, and a Super Prep Dream Team selection.
College career
From 1996 through 1999 Simon played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Florida State
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
Seminoles where he was considered to be the most dominating defensive lineman in college football. In his senior season, Simon was a Consensus All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n and All-Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
first-team selection and was a Finalist for the Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
and Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
. He ended his career at FSU by helping his team win a national championship. His 44 tackles behind the line of scrimmage tied the school career-record first set by Ron Simmons
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
.
Philadelphia Eagles
From 2000 until 2005, Simon was a member of the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, starting in four NFC Championship games during his tenure with the team. Philadelphia only reached the Super Bowl once during these years, losing Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 2004 regular season...
to the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, 24-21. After the 2004 season, the Eagles placed the franchise tag
Franchise Tag
In the National Football League, the franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met. Each team has access each year to only one franchise tag and one...
on Simon, which he refused to sign. After contract negotiations failed to produce a long-term deal, the Eagles lifted the franchise tag, making Simon an unrestricted free agent.
Indianapolis Colts
Simon signed with the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, for whom he played the entire 2005 season. In 2006, Corey underwent surgery, was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform / Non-Football Injury list during training camp, and did not play in any games. He did not attend Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI was an American football game that featured the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League champion for the 2006 season...
with other inactive players, and was not invited to the Super Bowl ring ceremony in June 2007.
On August 1, 2007, Colts owner Jim Irsay
Jim Irsay
James Irsay is the owner and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League.-Biography:...
stated that Corey's release from the team was imminent once a settlement could be reached. The team announced Simon's termination on Saturday, August 4, 2007.
Retirement
On October 25, 2007, Corey Simon announced that he was retiring from Pro Football after eight seasons in the NFL because of polyarthritisPolyarthritis
Polyarthritis is any type of arthritis which involves 5 or more joints simultaneously. It is usually associated with autoimmune conditions.Polyarthritis may be experienced at any age and is not gender specific.-Causes:...
.