Brian Simmons Madden Career 1999-2008 - Peak 92 OVR
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A dependable Bengals linebacker through the franchise's lean years
Cincinnati drafted Simmons 17th overall in 1998 out of North Carolina, where he had been a consensus All-American. He gave the Bengals nine seasons of athletic, dependable play through a grim stretch of franchise history, missing nearly the entire 2000 campaign to injury but otherwise a fixture in the middle of the defense. He could cover, blitz and finish, returning an interception 50 yards for a touchdown against Miami in 2004 and picking off a goal-line pass to seal a win over Baltimore in 2001.
He retired after a 2007 season in New Orleans with 753 tackles, 24 sacks and 11 interceptions. The Madden ratings caught his prime in the middle of the decade, opening at 83 in the 2000 edition and topping out at a 92 in the 2004 edition before easing back as the years accumulated. He later scouted for Jacksonville, called North Carolina games on the air, and returned to his alma mater's staff in 2024.
Brian Simmons Madden Career Milestones
- Peak rating: 92 OVR in Madden NFL 2005 (age 29)
- Appeared in 9 Madden releases (Madden NFL 1999 through Madden NFL 2008)
- Entered at 74 OVR in Madden NFL 1999, climbed 18 points to his peak
- Biggest single-year rise: 79 points into Madden NFL 2002
- Played for 2 franchises: Bengals, Saints
- Listed as a linebacker in every Madden release
- Final Madden appearance: Madden NFL 2008 at 83 OVR
Brian Simmons Madden Career Ratings
| Madden | Team | Pos | OVR | Speed | ACC | AGI | STR | JMP | STA | INJ | TGH | AWR | PRC | THP | TAS | TAM | TAD | CAR | BTK | TRK | BCV | SFA | SPM | JKM | CTH | SPC | CIT | SRR | MRR | DRR | RLS | RBK | PBK | IBL | TAK | POW | PUR | MCV | ZCV | PRS | KPW | KAC | KRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1999 1998 NFL season
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LILB | 74* | 74 | 71 | 74 | 75 | - | - | 9 | - | 55 | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 23 | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 62 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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2000 1999 NFL season
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LILB/MLB | - | 64 | 59 | 69 | 71 | - | - | 80 | - | 69 | - | - | - | - | - | 29 | 34 | - | - | - | - | - | 29 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 80 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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2002 2001 NFL season
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MLB | 79 | 75 | 69 | 71 | 77 | 57 | 88 | 83 | 85 | 77 | - | 17 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 26 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 48 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 23 | - | 87 | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 20 | - |
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2003 2002 NFL season
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MLB | 88 | 75 | 79 | 74 | 79 | 57 | 82 | 87 | 88 | - | - | 21 | - | - | - | 34 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 52 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 17 | 27 | - | 92 | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 24 | - |
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2004 2003 NFL season
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RLB | 89 | 77 | 79 | 74 | 79 | 57 | 82 | 82 | 88 | 85 | - | 21 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 34 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 52 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 17 | 27 | - | 92 | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 24 | 0 |
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2005 2004 NFL season
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RLB | 92 | 83 | 85 | 86 | 72 | 57 | 82 | 82 | 88 | 86 | - | 21 | - | - | - | 34 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 52 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 47 | 27 | - | 89 | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 24 | - |
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2006 2005 NFL season
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RLB | 91 | 83 | 84 | 86 | 72 | 57 | 82 | 82 | - | 86 | - | 21 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 34 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 52 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 47 | 27 | - | 88 | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 24 | 0 |
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2007 2006 NFL season
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MLB | 87 | 82 | 81 | 82 | 71 | 57 | 82 | 82 | 88 | 85 | 87 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 34 | - | 40 | 25 | 25 | 35 | 39 | 50 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 47 | 27 | 66 | 85 | - | 87 | 60 | 70 | - | 19 | 24 | 0 |
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2008 2007 NFL season
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LB | 83 | 80 | 80 | 78 | 74 | 57 | 82 | 82 | - | 86 | 85 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 34 | - | 35 | 25 | 25 | 35 | 39 | 50 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 47 | 27 | 66 | 86 | 75 | 88 | 60 | 70 | 70 | 19 | 24 | 0 |
Era Linebackers who played alongside Brian Simmons
Brian Simmons Madden Ratings by Year
Brian Simmons Madden NFL 1999 rating: 74 OVR (1998 NFL season, CIN). Brian Simmons Madden NFL 2000 rating: rated (1999 NFL season, CIN). Brian Simmons Madden NFL 2002 rating: 79 OVR (2001 NFL season, CIN). Brian Simmons Madden NFL 2003 rating: 88 OVR (2002 NFL season, CIN). Brian Simmons Madden NFL 2004 rating: 89 OVR (2003 NFL season, CIN). Brian Simmons Madden NFL 2005 rating: 92 OVR (2004 NFL season, CIN). Brian Simmons Madden NFL 2006 rating: 91 OVR (2005 NFL season, CIN). Brian Simmons Madden NFL 2007 rating: 87 OVR (2006 NFL season, CIN). Brian Simmons Madden NFL 2008 rating: 83 OVR (2007 NFL season, NO).