The Bengals’ Curious Case Of Darrin Simmons
Credit: Phil Didion via Imagn Images
Let me help you win a free beer the next time you’re at the bar with your buddies. Just ask this: Who, now entering his 22nd season in 2025, is the longest-tenured person among head coaches and coordinators in the NFL?
That would be Darrin Simmons, the man who has spent his entire career as the Cincinnati Bengals’ Special Teams Coordinator since being hired in 2003 — the same year Marvin Lewis would begin his 16-year run as the team’s head coach.
The fact that Simmons has been with the Bengals for so long might be surprising for some. Let’s be honest, most coordinators, regardless of position, don’t stay with a team for more than four-to-five years in today’s NFL, let alone through five (!!!) different presidential administrations.
But since 2003, Who Dey Nation has been able to count on seeing Simmons strolling the Bengals’ sideline, often exhibiting the most animated behavior seen since the days of Chad Johnson. In reading his resume, Simmons certainly could have been considered for greener pastures, yet outside of a few brief reports back in 2018 following the end of Lewis’ tenure, he’s hardly ever been mentioned for any other NFL jobs.
It’s a bit of a curious situation, and it begs the question: is Simmons overlooked, overhyped, or simply content where he is? The answer, as is many things in the NFL, lies somewhere in between.
Consider this the curious case of Darrin Simmons.
During his two-plus decades in Orange and Black, he has produced a few Pro Bowlers in the form of kicker Shayne Graham (2005), punter Kevin Huber (2014), kick coverage/return specialist Cedric Peerman (2015), and long-snapper Clark Harris (2017).
Additionally, Simmons’ work with Evan McPherson saw him convert seven field goals of 50-plus yards in 2023, tied for fifth most leaguewide, with the kicker going a perfect 19-for-19 inside of 50 yards. McPherson additionally converted 21 field goals from 50-plus yards, the most in NFL history in a player’s first three seasons.
Cincinnati’s special teams also allowed only 24.5 yards per return last year, the second-fewest in the league, and the unit as a whole boasted the highest PFF grade (90.9). Stats like this help explain why Simmons added another title to his mantle when he was named the Bengals Assistant Head Coach in 2020.
Yet, for all his successes, Simmons has never been heralded in the media, a fact which is fairly common with special teams coordinators. Look no further than the fact in the entire history of the league, only two — two!!! — special teams coordinators have ever worked as head coaches and only one, Joe Judge, has ever gone from that position to head coach. Ever!
As John Harbaugh noted, coaching hires are partly hired based off their ability to win a press conference, a.k.a., excite a fan base. While he might be animated during games, Simmons’ understated presence would certainly not bring much excitement to the fan base, especially not in light of Who Dey Nation’s current ambivalence towards Zac Taylor. If Bengals’ management was going to install a new head coach, promoting someone from within might go over as well as someone other than Joe Burrow criticizing Cincinnati chili. Throw in Judge’s failure in New York, and Simmons might be fighting an uphill battle he can’t win.
Another factor working against Simmons? The fact that the Bengals’ kicking unit has frequently cracked under pressure at the worst possible times since its historic 2021 season. McPherson went from the man with the golden foot to looking like fool’s gold in 2024 before a groin injury would sidelined him for the season. In addition, would-be kick returner Charlie Jones has spent more time in the training room than on the field due to ongoing injury issues, putting the Bengals’ return game in a constant state of flux. While punter Ryan Rehkow is a star in the making, he only got the opportunity after Brad Robbins failed to justify his status as the Bengals sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Last but not least, Simmons’ units have yet to have “The Play.” You know the play — the one that serves as both a defining moment for both the team and the players/coach involved in it. Despite Simmons’ lengthy tenure, there has been no Music City Miracle, no Jacoby Jones Super Bowl TD return, not even a Steve Gleason-level blocked punt. Sam Hubbard’s famed Fumble in the Jungle was a goal-line stand, in case you’ve forgotten. Simmons has yet to have that defining play and without it, he may not be definitive enough to garner the attention of a bigger post outside Cincinnati — or possibly even within it.
While coaches often talk about winning all three phases of the game, Simmons might be the biggest winner out of any NFL coach currently in the league. Given the Bengals’ longstanding history of giving coaches longer tenures than many of their competitors, it has to say something about Simmons that he has outlived the iPod and Conan O’Brien’s late-night talk show. Who knows — maybe Simmons is playing the long game and has been slowly working to take over from within if and when Taylor departs the Queen City.
But also, perhaps if the Bengals 2025 season isn’t an improvement over the past few years, Simmons might end up kicking himself in the end, wondering if there could have been another team with a special opportunity to show what 22 seasons’ of NFL knowledge is worth.
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