Jackie Simpson

John Marlin Simpson (April 2, 1934 - December 20, 2017 ) was an American college and professional football player who was a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Simpson played college football for the University of Florida, and then played professionally for the Baltimore Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.

Early life Simpson was born in Miami, Florida in 1934, and grew up in an apartment complex on the Miami bayfront. He attended Miami Edison Senior High School in Miami, and he was a standout high school football halfback for the Edison Raiders. Simpson was a third-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection in 1954 and 1955, and a second-team All-SEC selection in 1956. which remains the longest interception return for a touchdown in SEC history. As a halfback on offense, he finished his college career with an average of 6.3 rushing yards per carry—still one of the three best career averages in Gators history.

Simpson was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2001.

Professional career The Baltimore Colts selected Simpson in the fourth round (44th overall) of the 1957 NFL draft. He signed with the Colts for $7,800 per season and a $1,000 signing bonus, Before he could report to the Colts' training camp, however, he first had to report for twenty-one months of U.S. Army infantry and paratrooper training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After completing his military service obligations, Simpson was activated for the final two games of the season and served as a reserve defensive back and periodic kick returner for the Baltimore Colts' 1958 and 1959 NFL championship teams of coach Weeb Ewbank.

The Colts traded Simpson to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Billy Ray Smith after the season, and he played his final two professional seasons for the Steelers in and . During his five-season NFL career, Simpson played in forty-five regular season games, and recorded two interceptions.