History of Phil Simms in Timeline

Phil Simms is a former NFL quarterback who played 14 seasons for the New York Giants. Drafted in 1979, he led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XXI, earning MVP honors. In that game, he set Super Bowl records for completion percentage (88%) and passer rating (150.9), records that still stand. Simms was also selected to the Pro Bowl twice, recognizing his exceptional play during the 1985 and 1993 seasons. He played college football at Morehead State before his successful NFL career.

Sections (2)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements

November 3, 1955: Phil Simms Born

On November 3, 1955, Phillip Martin Simms was born. He would later become a professional football quarterback for the New York Giants.

Others born on this day/year

1963: Giants Win Record

In 1963, the Giants had their most wins in a season since that year, led by Phil Simms who passed for 3,829 yards and 22 touchdowns.

1974: High School Graduation

In 1974, Phil Simms graduated from Southern High School in Louisville, where he was the quarterback of the Trojans.

1978: Ohio Valley Transition to Division I-AA

In 1978, the Ohio Valley, where Morehead State played, transitioned to the new Division I-AA.

1979: Drafted by the New York Giants

In 1979, Phil Simms was drafted by the New York Giants as the seventh overall pick in the NFL draft after playing college football for the Morehead State Eagles.

1979: Named to the NFL All-Rookie Team

In 1979, Phil Simms won the first five starts of his rookie year. He finished the season with a 6-4 record, 1,743 passing yards, and 13 touchdown passes and was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team. He was also runner-up for Rookie of the Year, behind Ottis Anderson.

1979: NFL Draft and Initial Reaction

In 1979, despite interest from Bill Walsh of the 49ers, Phil Simms was drafted by the New York Giants as their first-round pick, a decision met with boos from Giants fans. He was the second quarterback taken, following Jack Thompson.

1980: 1980 Season Performance

In 1980, Phil Simms completed the season with 2,321 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions, with a 48.0% completion rate.

1981: Injury and Playoff Run

In 1981, Simms passed for 2,031 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions before a separated shoulder injury on November 15 allowed Scott Brunner to lead the Giants to the second round of the playoffs.

1982: Knee Injury and Coaching Change

In 1982, Simms suffered a torn knee ligament in a preseason game against the New York Jets, causing him to miss the entire season. Following the season, Bill Parcells replaced Ray Perkins as head coach.

1983: Season-Ending Thumb Injury

During the sixth game of the Giants' 1983 season, Phil Simms replaced Scott Brunner. On his third drive, Simms suffered a season-ending thumb injury against the Philadelphia Eagles.

1983: Increased Film Study

In 1983, during his injury recovery, Phil Simms increased his film study, improving his understanding of NFL defenses and team formations.

1984: Emergence as a Team Leader

In 1984, after struggling with injuries, Phil Simms emerged as an offensive leader, passing for 4,044 yards and 22 touchdowns, leading the Giants to a playoff berth.

1985: Pro Bowl Selection

In 1985, Phil Simms was selected to the Pro Bowl for his performance during the season.

1985: Pro Bowl and High Passing Yardage

In 1985, Phil Simms was voted to the Pro Bowl and named Pro Bowl MVP, leading the NFC to victory. During the season, he passed for 3,829 yards and 22 touchdowns. In a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Simms passed for 513 yards.

1986: 14-Win Season

In 1986, Phil Simms passed for 3,487 yards and 21 touchdowns, contributing to the Giants winning 14 games.

January 25, 1987: Super Bowl XXI MVP

On January 25, 1987, Phil Simms led the Giants to a 39-20 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI, completing 22 of 25 passes for 268 yards and 3 touchdowns. He was named Super Bowl XXI MVP for his outstanding performance and is credited for being the first to use the phrase "I'm going to Disney World!".

1987: Remarks on New Jersey

In 1987, Phil Simms remarked that living in New Jersey was "just like anywhere else."

1987: 1987 Season Performance

In the strike-shortened 1987 NFL season, Phil Simms finished with the second-highest quarterback rating in the NFC, throwing for 2,230 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions.

1988: 1988 Season

In 1988, Phil Simms passed for 3,359 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions as the Giants finished 10-6 but missed the playoffs.

1989: 1989 Season

In 1989, Phil Simms passed for 3,061 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, as the Giants finished 12-4 but lost in the playoffs to the Los Angeles Rams.

1990: Broken Foot Injury

In 1990, Phil Simms suffered a broken foot in Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills, ending his season despite leading the NFC with the highest quarterback rating.

1991: Passing Statistics

Between the 1991 and 1992 seasons, Phil Simms threw for 1,905 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions while completing 59.3% of his passes.

1992: Arm Injury

In 1992, Phil Simms was named the starter but suffered a severe arm injury in Week 4, missing the rest of the season.

1993: Simms Leads Giants to 11-5 Season

In 1993, Phil Simms started all 16 games and led the Giants to an 11-5 season, including a playoff victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

1993: Second Pro Bowl Selection

In 1993, Phil Simms was selected to the Pro Bowl for a second time based on his performance during the season.

1994: Considered Playing for the Cardinals

In 1994, Phil Simms considered playing for the Cardinals after being released by the Giants.

1994: Joins ESPN after retirement

In 1994, following his retirement as a player, Phil Simms joined ESPN to begin his broadcasting career.

September 4, 1995: Jersey Retirement Ceremony

On September 4, 1995, Phil Simms' jersey was retired during a halftime ceremony at a game against the Dallas Cowboys. He gave an emotional speech and threw "one more pass" to Lawrence Taylor, which Taylor successfully caught despite the pressure.

1995: Considered Playing for the Browns

In 1995, Phil Simms considered playing for the Browns before ultimately deciding to remain retired.

1996: Announces weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics

In 1996, Phil Simms announced weightlifting at the Summer Olympics. He also served as a sideline reporter on the NBA on NBC for NBC Sports.

1998: Moves to CBS

In 1998, Phil Simms moved to CBS with the AFC package, initially teaming with Greg Gumbel.

August 27, 2001: "Most Underrated Quarterback" by Sports Illustrated

On August 27, 2001, Sports Illustrated dubbed Phil Simms the "Most Underrated Quarterback" in NFL history in their issue entitled, "The Most Overrated and Underrated".

2002: Co-hosted Miss Universe 2002

In 2002, Phil Simms co-hosted the Miss Universe pageant with Daisy Fuentes.

2003: Teaming with Jim Nantz

At the end of the 2003 season, Phil Simms started teaming with Jim Nantz on CBS's lead broadcast team.

2007: Appeared on As the World Turns

In 2007, Phil Simms made an appearance as himself on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns.

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2009: Host of Inside the NFL

Since 2009, Phil Simms has been a host of Inside the NFL on Showtime with James Brown and Cris Collinsworth.

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February 2010: Appeared on The Price Is Right and How I Met Your Mother

In February 2010, Phil Simms appeared on The Price Is Right with Jim Nantz to present a Super Bowl XLIV showcase. Also in February 2010, he appeared with Nantz on the How I Met Your Mother episode "Rabbit or Duck".

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2011: Inducted into the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame

In 2011, Phil Simms was inducted into the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame.

November 13, 2014: Appeared on Elementary

On November 13, 2014, Phil Simms appeared uncredited on the episode "Just a Regular Irregular" of the CBS television series Elementary, as a knife throwing consultant to Sherlock Holmes.

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2017: Giants Franchise Records

As of the 2017 NFL off-season, Phil Simms held at least 13 Giants franchise records.

2017: Replaced by Tony Romo as a color commentator

In 2017, Phil Simms was replaced by Tony Romo as a color commentator and joined the CBS pregame show The NFL Today.

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2023: Contract with CBS expired

At the end of the 2023 season, Phil Simms' contract with CBS expired.

2024: Weekly guest on WFAN's Boomer and Gio

In 2024, Phil Simms joined WFAN's Boomer and Gio as a weekly guest.

2024: Departure from CBS

In 2024, Phil Simms left CBS, where he had been working as an in-game color commentator for NFL games, transitioning from his previous roles at ESPN and NBC.

2024: Analyst for Westwood One

In 2024, Phil Simms worked on Westwood One as an analyst for select games.

2024: Mara's attempt to retain Simms

In the 2024 documentary "The Duke: The Giant Life of Wellington Mara", Simms recalled Wellington Mara disagreed with his release in 1993 and offered changes, but Simms declined to prevent further issues.

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