NEWLY ACQUIRED SAM DARNOLD (SEAHAWKS) AND GENO SMITH (RAIDERS) HEADLINE EPISODE 3 OF CHRIS SIMMS' QUARTERBACK COUNTDOWN, NOW ON 'CHRIS SIMMS UNBUTTONED' AND 'PRO FOOTBALL TALK'
Simms' QB Countdown Continues Today with Next Tier - 'Escaped from New York' - and Culminates with the Top Five QBs on Monday, June 9; In-Depth Breakdowns for Each Ranking Weekly on Chris Simms Unbuttoned Podcast
'I don't see a ton of issues physically but it's his [lack of] feel and experience, just having more of a backyard sense.' – Simms on Seahawks' Sam Darnold
'His arm is crazy strong, he's versatile, he can throw off his back foot, sidearm, anything you want. That is also one of his problems.' – Simms on Raiders' Geno Smith
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 28, 2025 – NBC Sports' Chris Simms continues his list of the top quarterbacks in the NFL on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast and on 'PFT Live' today, featuring 2025 Pro Bowler Sam Darnold of the Seahawks and 2022 AP Comeback Player of the Year Geno Smith of the Raiders, who are both entering their first seasons with their respective teams.
This year's countdown features a new format, with Simms focusing on tiers and groups of quarterbacks as opposed to specific numeric rankings until the later rounds. Continuing the countdown, Simms unveiled his quarterbacks ranked in the next tier today, with QBs in the 'Escaped from New York' tier.
Continuing today and culminating Monday, June 9 with his top five quarterbacks, Simms will unveil a group of quarterbacks on each Chris Simms Unbuttoned episode and discuss his rankings on 'PFT Live' with Mike Florio.
Simms, a third-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2003 NFL Draft who played eight NFL seasons, will also offer in-depth player breakdowns and rankings explanations throughout each week on Chris Simms Unbuttoned.
Simms has had success in projecting college quarterbacks – including naming Jayden Daniels, who was named AP's 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year following a season that saw him lead the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship Game, as his No. 2 QB prospect in 2024. Additionally, Simms named C.J. Stroud, who was named AP's 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year, as his top QB prospect in 2023, Patrick Mahomes as his most exciting prospect in 2017, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen as his top-two QBs in 2018, and Justin Herbert as his No. 2 QB in 2020.
The rankings will continue next Monday, June 2, on the next episode of Chris Simms Unbuttoned.
The following are highlights from this week's edition of Chris Simms Unbuttoned:
Escaped from New York
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
'A lot of good here. His season started off on a really high note throwing the ball all over the field and you went, 'Wow!' The good is his incredibly quick release; really gifted short-to-intermediate thrower of the football because he can get it out so quick. He's got more power in his arm than I think he gets credit for. This year, he got better at deep ball throwing. A lot of the things I'm going to talk about negatively with Sam Darnold is experience related. He was so spoiled by (Vikings head coach) Kevin O'Connell and the offense earlier in the year that when he got to the latter part of the year, those first reads weren't always open every time like the first few weeks. His internal clock, because of some of the big moments, was a little thrown off. I don't see a ton of issues physically but it's his [lack of] feel and experience, just having more of a backyard sense.'
Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
'This is a hard one….I don't think it was his best year but let me tell you this, with Geno Smith, the physical ability is real. His arm is crazy strong, he's versatile, he can throw off his back foot, sidearm, anything you want. That is also one of his problems though, because, like Darnold with his first read, Smith is not too different in that way. He has more confidence in his arm and throwing into tight windows than Darnold but that gets him in trouble. He puts the ball where he wants to, but he's taking too many chances. You see that in his worst games and his worst moments. That's what it always came down to. There has to be a better 'get out of jail' plan with Geno Smith. As a quarterback, it's your job to go and attack, but if all fails, you need to know where you're going to get the ball to keep the team in a good position.'
To listen to the full player breakdowns on Chris Simms Unbuttoned, click here.
-NBC SPORTS-
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Former UFC fighters file lawsuits, alleging the MMA promotion restricts their earning potential
FILE - Phil Davis in action against Ryan Bader during a mixed martial arts bout for the light heavyweight title at Bellator 180 on Saturday, June 24, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan,File) FILE - Phil Davis in action against Ryan Bader during a mixed martial arts bout for the light heavyweight title at Bellator 180 on Saturday, June 24, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan,File) FILE - Phil Davis in action against Ryan Bader during a mixed martial arts bout for the light heavyweight title at Bellator 180 on Saturday, June 24, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan,File) LAS VEGAS (AP) — Two former UFC fighters have filed antitrust lawsuits against the mixed-martial arts behemoth, alleging it operates as a monopoly that restricts their ability to maximize earnings. Phil Davis and Mikhail Cirkunovs, who fought under the name Misha Cirkunov, filed their lawsuits in U.S. District Court in Nevada against the Las Vegas-based UFC. Cirkunovs' complaint was filed on May 23, and Davis' was filed six days later. Advertisement Philadelphia-based Berger Montague, which is represented locally by Las Vegas' Claggett and Sykes, is the law firm for both fighters. A message left with the Las Vegas firm on Monday was not immediately returned. Cirkunovs is seeking $75,000 in damages. Davis didn't specify how much money he is suing for. The UFC reached a $375 million settlement in September in a class-action antitrust lawsuit brought by Cung Le, who filed his claim in 2014. The UFC has not reached an agreement with Kajan Johnson, who filed his lawsuit in 2021. Both recent complaints made references to the Johnson case, with the Cirkunovs' suit saying they were similar. Advertisement 'In previous hearings, Plaintiffs' own counsel expressed strong concerns to the Court about the weaknesses of the Johnson claims,' the UFC said in a statement. 'This new complaint (Cirkunovs) confirms that the plaintiffs in the Johnson case lack the standing to represent the proposed class. 'In addition, it confirms that the majority of fighters signed class-action waivers and agreed to arbitrate their claims instead of resorting to court procedures. We are confident that the facts and the law are on our side in opposing approval of both of these proposed classes.' Davis fought in the UFC from 2010-15 before signing with Bellator MMA, which became the Professional Fighters League this year. He argues that the UFC's presence prevents fighters who aren't even in the organization from receiving competitive wages. Cirkunovs was in the UFC from 2015-22. ___ AP sports:
San Francisco Chronicle
18 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Marshawn Lynch, star running back at Cal, on College Football Hall of Fame ballot
Marshawn Lynch, the second-leading rusher in the history of Cal football, is among those on the ballot for the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame. The National Football Foundation released the ballot Monday for the class that will be announced in January. It includes 79 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 35 coaches from lower levels. Lynch, who made the short trek from Oakland Tech High School to Berkeley, played three seasons with the Bears (2004-06), piling up 3,230 yards and 29 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 68 passes for another 600 yards and six TDs. Lynch trails Cal career rushing leader Russell White (1990-92) by 16 yards. After collecting 775 scrimmage yards and 10 TDs as a freshman, Lynch added another 10 TDs and 1,371 scrimmage yards as a sophomore before capping his career with a 1,684-yard, 15-TD junior season that included a Pac-10-leading 1,356 rushing yards. Lynch entered the NFL draft instead of playing his senior season at Cal and was taken 12th in the first round by Buffalo. In 12 NFL seasons, including two with the Raiders, he rushed for 10,413 yards and 85 TDs. Lynch is joined on the ballot by Heisman Trophy winners Mark Ingram, Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III and former AP National Player of the Year Ndamukong Suh. Ingram became Alabama's first Heisman winner in 2009 after running for 1,658 yards and 20 touchdowns. Newton in 2010 was just the third player in FBS history with 20 passing and 20 rushing touchdowns. Griffin in 2011 led the nation in points responsible for and ranked second in total offense. Suh was a force for Nebraska in 2009 and became the first defensive lineman in 15 seasons to be named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He finished fourth in voting but was honored as the nation's top player by The Associated Press. Among other players on the ballot are Iowa's Brad Banks, Colorado's Eric Bieniemy, Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant, Penn State's Ki-Jana Carter, Pittsburgh's Aaron Donald, Syracuse's Marvin Harrison, Oklahoma's Josh Heupel, Ohio State's James Laurinaitis, Washington State's Ryan Leaf,Illinois' Simeon Rice and Florida State's Peter Warrick. Among coaches on the ballot are Larry Coker, Gary Patterson and Chris Petersen. Coker led the Canes to consecutive national championship games and won the 2002 Rose Bowl to become the first rookie head coach to lead his team to a title since 1948. Patterson is TCU's all-time wins leader who led the Horned Frogs to six AP top 10 final rankings. Petersen is Boise State's all-time wins leader who led the Broncos to two undefeated seasons and led Washington to the 2016 College Football Playoff. The NFF also announced an adjustment to the eligibility criteria for coaches to be considered for induction. The minimum career winning percentage required for coaching eligibility will go from .600 to .595 beginning in 2027. The change would make Mike Leach eligible. Leach, who died in 2022, had a .596 winning percentage with a 158-107 record over 21 seasons at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State.
New York Post
19 minutes ago
- New York Post
Tyreek Hill gets flirty with mystery woman in pool after wife's divorce filing
Dolphins star wideout Tyreek Hill was holding hands with an unnamed woman during a pool day in Orlando on Sunday, as seen in new photos less than two months after his estranged wife Keeta Vaccaro filed for divorce. Hill, 31, and the brunette looked flirty while swimming together in a pool at Evermore Bay Resort, according to TMZ. They were seen frolicking in the water together and going down the slide for hours, per TMZ, adding that they were laughing together after going down the 'Big Blue Ride.' 6 NFL star Tyreek Hill, whose wife has filed for divorce, looked flirty with a mystery woman in Orlando on Sunday in a video obtained by TMZ. TMZ Sports At one point, the woman, who wore a yellow cut-out swimsuit, appeared to caress Hill's back. The pair reportedly left at around 5:40 p.m. after about five hours in the pool. Hill was at the Orlando resort with some family before he briefly left to escort the woman to his cabana. Vaccaro filed for divorce, calling her marriage to Hill 'irretrievably broken,' on April 8, a day after police responded to a domestic dispute at their Miami residence, during which their 7-month-old daughter, Capri, was present. Vaccaro's mother, Alesia Vaccaro, called 911 because she feared for her daughter's safety, she said, after seeing a 'very aggressive and impulsive' Hill throw a laptop on the floor and walk toward the 35-floor balcony with her granddaughter, according to an incident report. 6 NFL star Tyreek Hill, whose wife has filed for divorce, looked flirty with a mystery woman in Orlando on Sunday. TMZ Sports 6 Keeta Vaccaro on the beach in Miami in June 2025. @ keeta_vaccaro/Instagram Hill and Vaccaro both said things did not turn physical, and police made no arrests in the incident. Police said Capri appeared to be in good health, adding they did notice a bruise on Vaccaro's upper chest. In a separate emergency court filing, Vaccaro alleged that Hill disappeared in the aftermath of their dispute for two nights only to return and take the couple's infant daughter without the mother's consent. 6 Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill and his wife Keeta Vaccaro before a preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium on August 9, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Getty Images The motion requested temporary exclusive use of the couple's home for Vaccaro, along with limiting Hill's access to Capri to 'supervised timesharing.' The Dolphins said in a statement that they were in communication with Hill at the time. Hill — who agreed to a three-year contract worth $90 million last August and has been the subject of trade rumors since the end of the season — seemingly addressed his personal life following a Dolphins practice last week. 6 NFL star Tyreek Hill, whose wife has filed for divorce, looked flirty with a mystery woman in Orlando on Sunday. TMZ Sports 'It's tough. Only thing I'm going to say is, man, money is a crazy thing for a lot of people,' Hill said, adding that he has attended church and therapy over the past month. 'But I mean for me, we just going to let the details just handle itself, you know what I'm saying? Because at the end of the day, the truth always comes out, right? 'My job is just to be a great father to all of my kids and be the best player I can be and be the best leader I can be for these guys in this locker room, man. So, I'm going to stand strong on that and I'm going to stand firm on that.' 6 Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill warms up during the team's OTAs on at Baptist Health Training Complex on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Miami Gardens, FL. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Hill has three children with ex-fiancee Crystal Espinal — son Zev and twins Nakeem and Nyla — in addition to multiple alleged children from other relationships. Hill and Vaccaro tied the knot during Miami's bye week in November 2023, after the pair had been engaged since July 2021.
