The Washington Commanders announced today they have named Jason Simmons as the team's defensive pass game coordinator.
Simmons joins the Commanders after serving as the defensive backs/pass game coordinator for the Las Vagas Raiders for the past two seasons (2022-23).
In 2023, cornerback Tre'von Moehrig finished tied for first on the team with a career-high three interceptions. Simmons' unit accounted for three of the defense's five touchdowns last season which tied the most by the Raiders franchise since 2000.
In his first season with the Raiders, 13 defensive backs recorded playing time, tied for the second most in a single season by the team since 2000. Under Simmons, cornerback Amik Robertson had a career year and finished first on the team with nine passes defensed and two interceptions.
From 2020-21, Simmons served as the pass game coordinator/secondary coach for the Carolina Panthers. In 2020, safety Jeremy Chinn was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team after leading all rookies with 116 tackles and becoming the first player in Panthers' history to win two Defensive Rookie of the Month Awards.
Prior to his time in Carolina, Simmons spent nine seasons with the Green Bay Packers serving in a variety of roles such as defensive backs (2019), secondary (2018), assistant special teams (201517), and coaching administrator (2011-14). Green Bay's defense recorded 146 total interceptions, tied for the fourth most by any team during Simmons time in Green Bay.
While Simmons served as assistant special teams coach, the Packers ranked second in the league in opponent punt return average (5.7) and yards per punt return (10.7).
Simmons was drafted in the fifth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1998 NFL Draft and went on to play in 121 games over a 10-year career from 1998-2007. He spent the first four years of his career with the Steelers as a special teams player and then went on to sign with the Houston Texans in 2002. Over his career, he recorded 186 tackles, 10 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two sacks and two interceptions.
He played safety at Arizona State University and earned second-team All-Pacific-10 honors his senior season. A native of Inglewood, Calif., Simmons attended Leuzinger High School in Lawndale Calif., where he lettered all four years in both football and track.
