Jaxon Simms learned he’d torn several ligaments in his right knee early one morning last spring. He was in school that day by second period, at football workouts that evening and pleaded with coaches to let him practice anyway.

Of course, the answer was no. Simms’ senior football and wrestling seasons were over before they began as a result of tearing his ACL and meniscus and fracturing his femur when he slipped running a route on the last play of a football showcase camp earlier this year. So instead of preparing for this fall with his teammates and getting ready to defend his title as one of the best wrestlers in the state this winter, Simms is on the sideline. In shorts, flip-flops, and a whistle dangling out of his pocket.

He feels this has all made him a better person.

“I kind of found myself in it,” the senior said, standing under a tree to escape heavy rain at a Mustangs football practice earlier this season — he does not have to be here at all.

Simms’ perseverance in the face of devastating news has impressed Mustangs football coach Bryan Hansrote and Simms’ teammates. The senior recently spoke with The Aegis about the injury, recovering from it and why he feels it was a blessing in disguise.

What are some of the things you’ve started doing outside of football?

I bought golf clubs, trying to get new hobbies and stuff like that. Spending more time with clubs and extracurriculars. I’m in Best Buddies, for disabled people, including them in school. I’m a leader of FCA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I’m joining the sign language club. So I’m just doing a bunch to keep myself busy.

Do you feel like a different person now?

I’m a better person. Like, finding myself, helping the community more than just myself, putting others forward and helping me find out what I’ll do for the next steps of my life and looking into what I want to do when I’m older. It’s given me time to sit down and figure out what I do. June 19, had surgery, couldn’t walk for six weeks. I was at every weight training. I’ve been around everything. But the time just isn’t as demanding on my body, it’s easier to find myself.

Why is it important to you to be around as often as you are despite being unable to play?

I started playing football my freshman year, and I knew I was gonna be doing this no matter what. These are my guys. I’ve grown up with half of them. I was captain last year. I’m still leading the team this year, not with the label, but still around, cheering them up, hyping them up on the sidelines, stuff like that. It’s just my guys. This is my sport. I don’t want to just lose it.

What were the next few weeks and months like after the injury?

It was definitely challenging mentally right away, knowing that now I’m done. I couldn’t tell myself that I was done, that I couldn’t play my senior year. Right away, it was hard telling my guys. A lot of emotional nights, cried a couple times. But I had a lot of support from my family, my friends, everybody. The whole team was around me. Coaches, they said you’re more than welcome to be part of us, no matter what happens. So that was good. It made me feel better. All support from the teachers and everything. Everyone had my back. The first day after surgery was the worst with pain. But since then, I’ve been blessed with no pain since the day after surgery. No pain, been grinding PT, three times a week for the past three months.

Has there been a moment where it’s hit you that you won’t play high school football again?

There were a couple moments, like the first day of 7-on-7. I found out that morning when I got my MRI results. I went to 7-on-7 right after and it was like, this just feels weird. Everyone’s talking about it. I’m like, I don’t want that attention. I don’t want the negative attention. I want the attention from scoring a 60-yard touchdown, not tearing my ACL and being out for the year. It’s still there.

The first game, like, running out with the team. I was going to run out anyway. I’m not really supposed to, but I was like, I’m gonna do it anyway. It’s my senior year. I gotta run out. First practice, the rain practice yesterday, sliding around, moments hit and they come and go. But it’s all good because I’m still with my guys.

What’s next for you?

Nothing in the spring, nothing the rest of the year. Might do a couple — actually, I probably won’t do any showcases. I have two offers right now: Stevenson and then Hampden-Sydney. There’s two schools that like me: Albright and Moravian. Those are my top three, Moravian, Albright and Stevenson. I went to Stevenson last week and liked them a lot. I just gotta figure out financials, what’s best with everything, what’s gonna help me most in the future.

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