Justin Simmons calls a new division home, but that isn't stopping him from giving Patrick Mahomes nightmares.
The former Broncos star brought a potential Chiefs scoring drive to an abrupt end early on Sunday night, leaping up in 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 picked off in the Chiefs' season opener against the Ravens and tossed two interceptions in a win over the Bengals a week ago. They didn't keep Kansas City out of the win column, but they certainly aren't what Chiefs want to see.
As long as Simmons is nearby, Mahomes is at high risk for a turnover. Here's a look at Simmons' ridiculous track record against Mahomes.
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Justin Simmons interceptions of Patrick Mahomes
Simmons has six career interceptions of Mahomes — not only is that more than any NFL defender, but it's not even in the same ballpark as anyone else. No player has intercepted Mahomes more than twice.
Most of Simmons' interceptions of Mahomes have come in recent meetings. He's recorded an interception in each of his past four games against the three-time Super Bowl champion, starting the streak near the end of the 2022 season and extending it with two picks against the Chiefs in 2023.
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Here's the complete list of games in which Simmons intercepted Mahomes:
- Oct. 28, 2018
- Dec. 15, 2019
- Jan. 1, 2023
- Oct. 12, 2023
- Oct. 29, 2023
- Sept. 22, 2024
The turnovers finally translated to a win 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 went all the way back to the Peyton Manning era.
Simmons will hope Sunday night's interception can have the same effect, but the Falcons weren't able to turn it into points and actually gave up a touchdown on the Chiefs' next offensive drive.
Simmons is tied for fourth among all active players with 31 career interceptions.