Russell Wilson’s exit from the Denver Broncos created a massive ripple effect that extended far throughout the organization. The repercussions forced head coach Sean Payton to make some brutal roster decisions. And though safety Justin Simmons recorded 70 tackles in 2024, it wasn’t enough to save him. 

When Wilson walked away from the franchise, the Broncos were left with $85 million in dead money. With $53 million hitting the cap in 2024 alone, Denver had to act fast. To survive, Denver had to cut a highly paid veteran, Simmons, wide receiver Courtland Sutton, or left tackle Garrett Bolles. Ultimately, Payton had to part ways with the safety. Two years later, Simmons dived deeper into his release. 

“We had a dead cap with Russ. I think it was like 60 or 80, something up there, million,” Simmons said on 4th And South with Jarvis Landry and Leonard Fournette. “We was in dead cap. So, myself, Courtland Sutton, and Garett Bolles, the left tackle, we’re the three highest paid guys.” 

“And so, Sean is an offensive-minded guy. Courtland is your number one receiver. Unless you felt like you was going to replace that in the draft or in free agency. It’s unlikely. You’re not getting rid of your left tackle. He just came off his best season. So the next logical move was to let me go.”

Well, Bolles protects the quarterback’s blind side. That makes him an irreplaceable asset on the offensive line. Meanwhile, Sutton served as the primary weapon in the passing game. Replacing either player without adequate cap space would have paralyzed Payton’s offensive schemes. 

Yet Payton, an offensive architect, viewed the safety position as expendable despite Simmons’ elite play. The decision came when Simmons, on top of making 70 combined tackles, caught three interceptions while allowing only 39 yards. Despite the cut, Simmons respected how Payton handled it.

“Sean called me. He was really cool about it, man,” Simmons shared. “That’s the thing I can appreciate, is like this is a man’s league. Don’t call me on some fluff… He called me straight up and was like, ‘Hey, we letting you go. We want you to hit free agency early, so you have your options, you could pick and choose. And I want you to know if things don’t work out, the door is never closed here.’” 

Cutting the All-Pro safety immediately gave the Broncos $14.5 million in cap space. That allowed the front office to patch other glaring roster holes while simultaneously swallowing the financial penalty left by Wilson. 

Following the cut, Simmons landed with the Atlanta Falcons for a one-year, $7.5 million contract. He made 62 combined tackles and made two interceptions during his time with the Falcons. On April 29, 2026, Simmons announced his retirement. 

Justin Simmons gave a shoutout to Sean Payton’s Broncos upon his retirement

Exactly a decade after being drafted by the NFL, Simmons hung up his cleats. But he did so as a Broncos’ safety. He signed a one-day contract, retiring as a Bronco.

“I think what I’ve done in my career and playing, I will always hold near and dear and at a very high place in my chart of life,” Simmons told DenverBroncos.com. “And I’m also stepping into something that is going to be really new and fresh and awesome. And a lot of that is going to be part of being a fan and fandom and our hometown team in the Denver Broncos. I’m always going to be a Bronco, and I’m always going to be a Broncos fan. They took a chance on me, extended me. This is my home.” 

He declared that he’d always be a Bronco. After all, that’s his heart, home, and story. Having spent eight years with the team, saying goodbye wasn’t an option. Now, he wants to enter the stadium as a fan and cheer for the Broncos. He officially closed the book on a spectacular career.