Former Tiger Wins NFL Team’s ‘Selfless Warrior’ Award
By: Robert MacRae January 5, 2025

On Friday, the New York Jets announced the team’s award winners for the 2024 season.

Former Clemson offensive lineman John Simpson earned one of the Jets’ in-house awards, as the team’s “Selfless Warrior.”

From the Jets’ official website, on Simpson winning their “Selfless Warrior” award:

In his first season after signing with the Jets in free agency, LG John Simpson started all 16 games ahead of the season finale and is the Green & White’s highest-rated (78.6) offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus.

A recently created award that began in 2022, Simpson is the third winner, joining T Duane Brown and Jets captain and LB C.J. Mosley as the only recipients.

Simpson signed a two-year deal with the Jets last offseason. The 27-year-old joined the Jets after playing for the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, when he started all 17 regular season games and each of their two postseason games.

Drafted by the Raiders in the fourth round (109th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft, Simpson spent the first three years of his NFL career (2020-22) in Las Vegas.

At Clemson, Simpson played both guard positions for the Tigers in 2017 before earning a starting role. He helped Clemson post a 29-1 record during his two seasons as a full-time starter.

The North Charleston, S.C., native played 2,047 snaps over 50 games (29 starts) in his career as a Tiger (2016-19). He earned consensus All-America status in 2019.

–Photo courtesy Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images