The name Marcello Simmons may not yet resonate with football fans in this province. However, one look at his resume and you might think that will change very quickly. The native of Tomball, Texas is hard at work in his new role of special teams coordinator.
Simmons’ credentials are rather impressive for a man who will turn only 45 in August. After playing his college football at Southern Methodist University, Simmons was a 4th round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1993. The defensive back dressed for all 16 games in his rookie season, and then briefly joined the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad before migrating north to the Toronto Argonauts for 1995.
“Growing up in Houston and watching Warren Moon play for the Oilers is how I first came to know of the CFL, “ Simmons recalls. “Once I saw footage of him up here, I knew it would be a good decision to play in Canada at that stage of my career.”
He was fortunate to play on one of the most dominant CFL teams in modern history. Led by Doug Flutie and Michael “Pinball” Clemons, the Argos followed up a 15-win regular season with Grey Cup victories in both 1996 and 1997.
“Flutie and Pinball were some integral pieces to the puzzle, but they were just two guys that were part of a very special group”, he says. Former Lion Robert Drummond was our running back. Head Coach Don Matthews was there and we had a very good defence, “ the former St. Mary’s defensive coordinator adds.
Simmons had his first true taste of the Canadian elements during their 1996 victory over the Eskimos in Hamilton. That game was dubbed “The Snow Bowl.”
“I specifically remember it started snowing about three-o’clock in the afternoon and did not stop until the wee hours of the next morning. ” Simmons
If you simply looked at the box score from that 84th Grey Cup, you wouldn’t know how bad the conditions were. Simmons and the Argonauts prevailed in a 43-37 slugfest.
“It was a very different, but very wonderful and awesome experience to win they way we did.”
Simmons would move onto Edmonton for the 1999 season before the Lions came calling in free agency.
“Adam Rita and Greg Mohns were here at the time and I had known both of them from Toronto. BC had come close to the Grey Cup the year before, they had the talent and I wanted to be a part of that,” he says.
Unfortunately for Simmons, he was traded back to the Argos part way through that championship season and would not win another Grey Cup as a player before retiring in 2001.
However, he would not have to wait long to win his first as a coach. Simmons’ Argos special teams unit, led by game breaking returner Bashar Levingston, caused havoc for the Lions in a 27-19 victory in the 92nd Grey Cup in 2004.
He would join the Seattle Seahawks as special teams assistant in 2009, followed by a five- year run in CIS and stops with the Eskimos and Tiger Cats before taking over from the retired Chuck McMann in January.
Simmons is excited to work with the dynamic Chris Rainey. The returner ranked fifth amongst all CFL players in both punt and kickoff return yardage last season. His two return touchdowns in Calgary on September 18th are believed to be the only time one player had two returns of over 100 yards in the same game.
On the flip side, those were the only two special teams majors the Lions managed in 2015.
“It’s his good style of running that excites me. He’s fast. He can still cut and keep his speed and he doesn’t lose a step. It’s very exciting to see,” Simmons notes.
Another big piece of Simmons’ new unit will be Jason Aragki, the all-time Lions leader in special teams tackles.
“I talked with Jason and Rolly Lumbala when I came up here in February. Having coached against these guys, I am looking forward to coming in and putting my spin on this team from a special teams perspective and my knowledge from a coaching perspective, “ the three-time Grey Cup champions remarks.
The chance to work alongside Wally Buono is yet another factor that attracted him to the Lions den.
“Having played against him many years when he was in Calgary, but also having coached against him in that Grey Cup in 2004 it’s an honour and a privilege to be on the sideline with him because he is now the all-time winningest coach in the CFL. His teams have always been competitive.”
2016 will mark Aragki’s ninth season with the football club, but first without McMann. The linebacker and special teams wizard was impressed upon meeting Simmons last month.
“He’s a very engaging guy”, Aragki noted. “Like Coach McMann, he is a veteran of the Canadian game and he has had immediate success in most of his stops. I am very much looking forward to playing for him.”
With Rainey in the fold from day one and Shaquille Murray-Lawrence expected to improve from his rookie performance- he averaged 22.9 yards per kickoff return in 2015- the Lions special teams unit promises to be a lot more explosive in Buono’s first season back on the sidelines. Having Simmons in charge of the unit should prove to be beneficial as well.