Justin Simmons has taken up residence in a new division, but that doesn’t stop him from giving Patrick Mahomes nightmares.
The former Broncos star put an abrupt end to a potential Chiefs scoring drive early Sunday night, leaping into the end zone to keep the ball out of Noah Gray’s reach and give Mahomes his first interception of the night.
Turnovers have been a trend for Mahomes this season, as he was intercepted in the Chiefs’ season opener against the Ravens and threw two interceptions in a win over the Bengals a week ago. They didn’t stop Kansas City from coming away with a victory, but it’s certainly not what the Chiefs want to see.
As long as Simmons is around, Mahomes is at high risk of losing the ball. Here’s a look at Simmons’ ridiculous record against Mahomes.
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Patrick Mahomes interceptions by Justin Simmons
Simmons has intercepted Mahomes six times in his career, which is not only more than any other NFL defender, but it’s not even in the same ballpark as any other player. No player has intercepted Mahomes more than twice.
Justin Simmons intercepts Mahomes in the end zone!
?: #KCvsATL on NBC/Peacock
? : Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/cSNbVDGTzt— NFL (@NFL) September 23, 2024
Most of Simmons’ interceptions against Mahomes have come in recent games. He has recorded an interception in each of his last four games against the three-time Super Bowl champion, starting that streak late in the 2022 season and extending it with two interceptions against the Chiefs in 2023.
Here is the full list of games in which Simmons intercepted Mahomes:
- October 28, 2018
- December 15, 2019
- January 1, 2023
- October 12, 2023
- October 29, 2023
- September 22, 2024
Those turnovers ultimately translated into a victory for Simmons and the Broncos on Oct. 29, 2023, when Denver held the Chiefs to nine points and snapped a losing streak against Kansas City that stretched back to the Peyton Manning era.
Simmons hoped Sunday night’s interception would have the same effect, but the Falcons were unable to convert it into points and even gave up a touchdown on the Chiefs’ next offensive drive.
Simmons is tied for fourth among all active players with 31 career interceptions.
