Quenton Nelson figured a fresh start with the Seattle Seahawks would finally give him a break from Jeffery Simmons.
Then the Chicago Bears went and changed the script.
Nelson, who was traded from the Indianapolis Colts to Seattle earlier this week, had plenty of reason to think the long-running matchup with Simmons was over. The two lined up against each other 13 times when Nelson was a Colts guard and Simmons was with the Tennessee Titans, and Nelson admitted he was ready to move on.
"He's an amazing football player and competitor. I was like, Man, can't get away from this guy. It'll be another battle against him this week," Nelson said.
That matchup is back on the calendar because Simmons was traded to Chicago on Thursday, setting up a Seahawks-Bears meeting this Sunday. Nelson said he never expected to see Simmons again in this spot.
Simmons is coming off his strongest pass-rushing season yet. In 2025, he finished with 67 tackles and 11 sacks.
Nelson’s own résumé still puts him among the league’s top offensive linemen. The Notre Dame product has earned the Pro Bowl in all eight of his NFL seasons since the Colts selected him sixth overall in 2018, and he has also collected three first-team All-Pro honors from 2018 through 2020.
Before all of that, Nelson built his reputation in South Bend. He played guard at Notre Dame from 2014 to 2017, after sitting out his freshman year and working on the scout team.
As a sophomore, he appeared in 12 games and started 11 at left guard, missing the Navy game and most of the USC game because of an ankle injury. That season, Notre Dame’s offense averaged 5.63 yards per carry, a modern school record.
In 2016, Nelson started every game at left guard and was named AP second-team All-American and Notre Dame's Offensive Lineman of the Year. In his final season with the Irish, he served as a team captain and was a unanimous first-team All-American.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Suddenly Has A Serious Drayk Bowen Concern Before Miami
Notre Dame is already juggling a few health questions coming out of the Navy game, and the biggest one may be at linebacker. Drayk Bowen suffered a lower right leg injury during the matchup, and with Miami next on the schedule, his availability is now uncertain at a spot where the Irish can least afford another setback.
Marcus Freeman also had to address the status of several other injured players, including Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Leonard Moore, Cooper Flanagan and Micah Gilbert, after a game in which Notre Dame leaned on substitutions and limited some players' workloads to get through it. The next few days should tell the story on Bowen, but for now it leaves one of the defense's key pieces very much in question heading into a major test. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames Early Navy Gamble Is Raising Questions Fast
Chris Ashs early-game choices against Navy stood out right away, and not just because Notre Dame was trying to settle in on defense. The Irish mixed in reserve players early, including starting Christian Gray at cornerback and getting backup linebacker Anthony Rezac on the field on the opening drive, as the unit tried to sort out Navys option looks and keep the game under control.
Instead, Navy put together its longest offensive drive of the season during that stretch, and the Midshipmen briefly led 3-0 before Notre Dame answered to go ahead 7-3. The sequence has already put a spotlight on the defensive playcalling and the decision to lean on reserves so early, leaving plenty of room for questions about how much of the opening trouble was execution and how much was design. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Freeman Just Put Notre Dames Defensive Leadership Under Pressure
Marcus Freeman did not hide his frustration at halftime of Notre Dames game against Navy, and his comments cut straight to the heart of the defenses issues. He said the unit was being asked to run plays it did not know, a sign that the problems were not just about effort or physicality but about execution and communication in a game that demanded both.
Freeman also stressed that the defense had to play physically and stay away from panic, a message that carries extra weight when a head coach is openly questioning how the calls are being handled. The Irish were sharper after the break, but the halftime critique only adds pressure on defensive coordinator Chris Ash and leaves Notre Dames defensive leadership under a brighter spotlight moving forward. [Read more 🡒]