TALLAHASSEE, FLa. — Florida State University Athletics Hall of Famer and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon has been hired by the Seminole Boosters, it was announced Thursday by Seminole Boosters Chairman and CEO Stephen Ponder.
In this new role as Director of Athlete Alumni Engagement and Development, Simon will focus primarily on the relationship between Seminole Boosters and former FSU student-athletes.
“We are excited to have Corey join the Seminole Boosters team in this role,” Ponder said. “Corey is a fantastic representative of Florida State and a perfect example of the opportunities that are created for student-athletes through donations to Seminole Boosters. Our goal is to re-connect with all former FSU student-athletes. In this role, Corey will focus on football while Cristian Gonzalez-Mendez will remain focused on Olympic sports.”
Simon was a consensus All-American in 1999 when he helped lead the Seminoles to the first wire-to-wire season as the No. 1-ranked team and the program’s second national championship. That year, he led the ACC with 21.0 tackles for loss as part of his 84-tackle season.
He recorded a career-high 10 tackles in a 17-14 victory at Clemson and made an interception and blocked a punt in FSU’s 35-10 win at Virginia. Simon, who also earned first-team All-America accolades in 1998, finished his FSU career with 193 tackles, including 11.0 quarterback sacks, 44.0 for loss, three forced fumbles, nine pass breakups and one interception. He was inducted into the FSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.
“It is a tremendous honor to return to the place it all began,” said Simon. “The support and love I received from Nole fans during my time as a student-athlete and now as an alumnus cannot be overstated. I now have the responsibility and privilege to pay it forward with our current athletes and engage our former Noleblooded family.”
After his collegiate career ended, Simon was selected sixth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He spent five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he was named to the NFL’s All-Rookie Team in 2000 and selected to the Pro Bowl in 2003.
He started in four NFC Championship Games during his time in Philadelphia and helped the Eagles reach Super Bowl XXXIX. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts, who won Super Bowl XLI during his two seasons, and Tennessee Titans in his eight-year NFL career.
Most recently, Simon was Chief Executive Officer of Volunteer Florida.
The department promotes volunteerism and establishes initiatives to address community-wide needs in Florida. Simon’s duties also included connecting Floridians interested in community service with 501(c)(3) organizations and governmental entities that mobilize volunteers.
He also has played a vital role in mentoring local youth by starting Corey’s Kids, an organization focused on mentoring children in North Florida’s foster care system, and currently serves as the President of Big Bend Pop Warner Little Scholars.
Pop Warner exists to use football, cheerleading, dance, and a respect for education to develop strong, smart, responsible, healthy young men and women.
