Chris Simms is officially off the Sunday Night Football pregame roster, and the rumor mill is churning faster than a quarterback scramble. The longtime analyst, who joined NBC in 2017, confirmed he won't return for the 2026 season—but fans are convinced his dismissal is tied to a spicy comment he made about a certain Patriots-Vrabel-Russini situation.
Simms, the son of Giants legend Phil Simms, had been a staple on Football Night In America alongside Jac Collinsworth, Tony Dungy, Jason Garrett, and Rodney Harrison. But the network decided to shake things up, and Simms got the news last week. “That hurt because I do love it,” he admitted. Dungy got similar marching orders, and Collinsworth and Harrison may also be out as NBC retools its pregame show.
But here’s where it gets interesting: During a recent episode of PFT Live, Simms hinted that the rumored relationship between Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and reporter Dianna Russini was an open secret around the league. “It’s the biggest story in the NFL,” Simms said. “I’d shoot you straight. These are things that I’ve been texting with my friends in the coaching world. Even their wives are involved in the conversation.”
That comment lit up social media. Fans quickly connected the dots: Simms got the boot shortly after that broadcast. MLFootball tweeted, “Chris Simms was FIRED by NBC from their Sunday Night Football coverage not long after when he almost reveled what coaches & their wives have been telling him about Patriots HC Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini.”
One fan summed up the sentiment: “He was on target the whole time, no one knew what the target was except him.” Another asked, “Fire a guy for reporting the truth? Why is everybody trying to ‘run cover’ for these 2.”
For what it’s worth, NBC has offered zero confirmation that Simms’ comments cost him his job. The network had already been rumored to be overhauling the entire pregame crew for 2026, so his departure may simply be part of a broader plan. In fact, NFL fans have cheered NBC’s bold 'Sunday Night Football' overhaul for 2026 as a needed refresh. Simms will continue hosting PFT Live for now, so he’s not completely off the airwaves.
Meanwhile, the Vrabel-Russini chatter hasn’t died down. Patriots players have deflected the Vrabel-Russini drama, saying 'We speak football', but the speculation persists. Whether it was a factor in Simms’ firing or just awkward timing, one thing is clear: NBC’s pregame show is getting a major makeover, and Chris Simms won’t be part of it.
