Teresa Varley

Get to know defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs Jason Simmons, including what former Steelers coaches are among his inspiration.

What got you interested in coaching:

"I always said it and denied my passion, but I knew that I wanted to coach, and I always said, no, I'm not going to do it. That was until Dom Capers gave me a call when I was retired and talked me into doing an internship. I did the Bill Walsh internship. I fell in love with it. Before that, I was actually coaching my son's Pop Warner team. And I was coaching a third-grade team way too hard. It was Dom who got me into it."

Who was your coaching inspiration:

"I've been around too many great ones who kind of shaped who I am. Dom getting me into it, being drafted here with the Steelers by Bill Cowher. Mike McCarthy who I was with in different places. My coordinator being Nick Fangio in Houston. Tim Lewis with the Steelers. There are so many I can't name them all."

Describe your coaching style:

"Teaching. I always say the best coaches have the ability to teach and not present. So, I've always tried to model myself on being a good teacher, making it easy for the guys to understand and then also looking to inspire those guys."

What do you love about coaching:

"There's nothing better than helping a guy succeed. That's what I like. There is nothing better than seeing a guy exceed even what he thought he could do."

Favorite coaching moment:

"It's just coaching my kids. Every opportunity to coach my kids."

Best advice you have received in coaching:

"It came from Johnny Holland, and he said, never forget, nobody's more upset than the player when they make a mistake."

Best advice you give to players

"Optimism is a competitive advantage."

Offseason relaxation/reset:

"Sit by the water and read a good book."

More about Jason Simmons:

Jason Simmons, who played for the Steelers, spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons as the defensive pass game coordinator for the Washington Commanders and is entering his 16th season in the NFL. While with the Commanders, the pass defense was ranked third in the NFL in 2024, allowing 189.5 yards per game. Their opponents completed only 61.9% of their passes, ranking fourth in the NFL.

Prior to his time in Washington, Simmons was the defensive backs/pass game coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders for two seasons (2022-23). His unit was responsible for three of the Raiders' five defensive touchdowns in 2023.

Simmons was the pass game coordinator/secondary coach for the Carolina Panthers from 2020-21. Under his guidance, safety Jeremy Chinn was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team in 2020, leading all rookies with 116 tackles, while also winning Defensive Rookie of the Month honors twice.

He got his start in coaching in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers under Coach Mike McCarthy, spending nine seasons with the team.

He spent four seasons as a coaching administrator (2011-14), before being the assistant special teams coach for three seasons (2015-17). Simmons was the secondary coach in 2018, and the defensive backs coach in 2019.

Simmons was drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons with the Steelers, before signing with the Houston Texans in 2002, where he spent six seasons.

Simmons appeared in 212 games in his career, recorded 186 tackles, 10 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two sacks and two interceptions/