Broncos safety was voted by local media as the team’s 2017 Darrent Williams Good Guy Award winner, becoming the youngest recipient in team history.
The award was created in 2007 in memory of late Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams and is given annually to the player who “best exemplifies Williams’ enthusiasm, cooperation and honesty while dealing with members of the press.”
“I’m extremely humbled and honored to receive this award,” Simmons said. “I didn’t know Darrent Williams personally, obviously. Through my extensive visits at the Boys and Girls Club and through my interactions with a bunch of staff and personnel — people here when he was here — nothing but high praises were spoken of him and the type of character and the type of guy that he was. To even be mentioned in the same sentence as a guy like Darrent Williams and to be able to share something in common with a guy like that is what I mean by truly being humbled and honored to receive an award like this. Not to mention the list of previous guys before me. Guys like Champ Bailey, John Lynch and Chris Harris Jr. You’re talking about all guys that I look up to when I was growing up watching football and guys that I get to play with now. Brandon Marshall’s another one of them.
“Like I said, itap truly humbling and honoring. I really can’t express into words enough of how thankful and appreciative I am to receive this award. … This is something that I will hold near and dear to my heart. I really do not take this for granted. I really appreciate it.”
This year’s voting was one of the closest in the award’s 11-year history. Receiver Demaryius Thomas and nose tackle Domata Peko finished second and third, respectively. Simmons is the 11th-consecutive defensive player to win the award for Denver.
Broncos’ Darrent Williams Good Guy Award winners
2007: John Lynch, S
2008: Ebenezer Ekuban, DE
2009: Elvis Dumervil, DE
2010: Mario Haggan, LB
2011: Champ Bailey, CB
2012: Wesley Woodyard, LB
2013: Chris Harris Jr., CB
2014: Terrance Knighton, DT
2015: Brandon Marshall, LB
2016: DeMarcus Ware, OLB
2017: Justin Simmons, S
