Roy Simmons (American football)
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| Position: | Guard | ||||||||
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| Born: | November 8, 1956 Savannah, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died: | February 20, 2014 (aged 57) Bronx, New York, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 264 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||
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| High school: | Beach (Savannah, Georgia) | ||||||||
| College: | Georgia Tech | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1979: 8th round, 201st pick | ||||||||
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Roy Franklin Simmons (November 8, 1956 – February 20, 2014) was an
Early life
Born in
Professional career
After his career at Georgia Tech, he became an eighth-round draft pick of the New York Giants in 1979.[1] After signing with the team, Simmons moved his three younger brothers to New Jersey to live with him. Later, his mother and other family members moved in.[2] Simmons was a regular on the offensive line in his rookie season, and by 1980 he started all 16 games as the left guard.[3]
Simmons later said that he fell into problems with substance abuse during his time in the NFL. He felt that he had to keep his sexuality a secret, writing, "The N.F.L. has a reputation, and it’s not even a verbal thing — it's just known. You are gladiators; you are male; you kick butt."[1] Simmons lost his position as a starter in 1981 and he left the Giants before the 1982 season, citing mental fatigue.[2] After briefly working as an airport baggage handler and failing to make the Giants roster in a 1983 comeback, he was signed by the Redskins. He appeared in the 1984 Super Bowl.[1]
Simmons appeared briefly in the United States Football League, but his professional career was over by 1985. In 1989, one of Simmons' young cousins had revealed to a girlfriend of Simmons that the former player had male lovers. Embarrassed, Simmons moved to San Francisco and disengaged from his family. He became immersed in the city's drug culture, was injured in a knife fight and became homeless at one point.[2]
Personal life
In 1992, Simmons announced that he was gay on
According to Simmons' brother Gary, the former NFL player lived alone and spent several stints in drug treatment after his playing career. Simmons was a born-again Christian, and a
In an interview in 2019, former
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Yardley, William (February 25, 2014). "Roy Simmons, 57, lineman who later came out as gay, dies". The New York Times. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Orth, Maureen (December 7, 2003). "Ex-NFL star goes public about getting HIV infection". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
- ^ "Ex-Giant Simmons wants discrimination investigation". ESPN. February 9, 2006. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
- ^ Willis, Gene (February 24, 2014). "Roy Simmons, who came out as gay after NFL career, dead at 57". New York Post. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
- ^ Buzinski, Jim (July 27, 2015). "9 inducted into National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame". Outsports.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Al Harrington on Being a CEO in the Green Rush & Getting Lit w/Mike Tyson | ABOUT THAT TIME. YouTube.
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