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Simpson’s official title with the Falcons is defensive assistant, though his duties are a lot more varied than that indicates.
On the field, he will work primarily assisting defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel and defensive line coach Bryant Young in helping prepare a young and improving group of linemen that include holdovers like Grady Jarrett and newcomers like first-round draft pick Takk McKinley and free agent signee Dontari Poe.
But he also will spend plenty of time off the field on administrative duties, such as watching film and evaluating players, duties he admits he’s still getting used to after three months on the job.
“Well, I work with the D-line everyday, so it is defined that way,” Simpson said. “I’m supporting everybody in different roles. I’m studying pass protections or I’m working on installs and PowerPoints for our defense to get to iPads. So there’s a lot of jobs that are really lending themselves towards me learning what we’re doing and helping grow me as a coach.
“You know what? The biggest difference is I’m in a totally new role. Organizationally, I’m totally opposite of where I was. I’m trying to support (Bryant Young), our D-line coach. I’m working with him every day. I’m supporting Marquand every day, and the other coaches defensively. I’m working on projects for Coach Quinn. Everything has really been different, so it’s been a learning curve.”
So far, both Quinn and Manuel have been very pleased with the adjustments Simpson has made to his new job.
Quinn isn’t surprised at all, considering he and Young have known Simpson longer than anyone else on the Falcons’ staff. The head coach remembers the positive first impression Simpson made on them when they first met eight years ago while attending a summer camp at the University of Florida during Quinn’s tenure as defensive line coach with the Seattle Seahawks.
The qualities he saw in Simpson, along with other observations he made while recruiting some of his former players at Buford while defensive coordinator at Florida, are what Quinn says has made Simpson a very quick study and a natural for his current job.
“Learning to evaluate from the college players that are here, so he went through pro free agents and college free agents,” Quinn said. “That’s an important thing to go through. It’s like his first cycle of players. From a pro side, from a college side and then now, getting on the field to work with these guys. Each time he goes through that cycle, it adds to his experience.
“NFL players, they want to see, ‘Can this coach help me?’ You can clearly see the type of teacher he is, the way he communicates, the way he can articulate it, the way he can teach it. He is a teacher at heart.”
From Manuel’s perspective, the biggest thing Simpson has brought to the table thus far is his adaptability and being able to find his specific role with the Falcons rather quickly.
“It’s been real cool with the guys making that transition from high school to college for a little bit and coming right to the league,” Manuel said. “I think he’s done an awesome job just trying to pick up on the speed of the game. Football is football like we always talk about, but trying to find your niche and find your groove, that’s what we’ve been trying to help him with.”
As much as Simpson has relished his new role, the beginning of OTAs has hammered home the role he likes most about his new job — just getting out on the field and coaching.
“Any football coach will tell you the best part of your day is your time on the grass and getting out there and being at practice and being with the players, watching them develop and coming up with a plan for improvement and watching those guys improve,” Simpson said. “Those kind of things are really fun.”
