Penn State's Shane Simmons Returns to Football, Transfers to Marshall

Defensive end Shane Simmons planned to move on from football after last season. Instead, he'll play at Marshall.

Former Penn State defensive end Shane Simmons, who announced his retirement from football following last season, is returning to the field with a former coach.

Simmons, a Penn State graduate with one season of eligibility remaining, is transferring to Marshall, where he will play for head coach Charles Huff, a former Penn State assistant.

Simmons initially planned to enter the business world following the 2020 season but in April decided to change course. He entered the NCAA Transfer Portal seeking to play football for one more season.

"I thought that I was finished with football and ready for the business world, but over the past few months I've done a lot of soul searching and realized that my love and passion for football is still there and my ultimate dream is still to play in the NFL," Simmons wrote in a social media post.

Simmons' new coach is familiar. Huff spent four seasons as Penn State's running backs coach and special teams coordinator before joining Nick Saban's staff at Alabama. Simmons played some special teams for Penn State and will bring significant experience to Marshall.

Simmons, who graduated in 2020, played in more than 40 games at Penn State. He started two at defensive end, including a memorial Senior Day appearance in 2020.

Simmons took the field for the pregame Senior Day ceremony to Frank Sinatra's "My Way," underscoring his determination to fight through injuries during his career. Simmons then made 1.5 sacks and broke up a key third-down pass at the goal line to help Penn State to a 39-24 victory over Michigan State.

"Everything that I have been through since being here and battling through adversity with my foot [injury], with school, just everything I've been through at Penn State made me who I am today," Simmons said after the game. "I just really wanted to go out there and play for my boys and play for all of the seniors out there."

Simmons was among the most popular players on Penn State's roster and developed a lasting relationship with head coach James Franklin. In fact, Simmons' family actually visited Vanderbilt while Franklin was the head coach there. Now 23, Simmons is taking one more shot at the NFL.

"I’m really proud of him," Franklin said after the Michigan State game. "I’m a big fan of Shane, I always have been and I always will be."

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