Former Denver Broncos safety and current unsigned free agent Justin Simmons did not rule out a potential signing with his once-arch rival, the Kansas City Chiefs, who have an opening at the position.

But although you can take Simmons out of the Broncos, you cannot take the Broncos out of Simmons.

“My heart is torn, because I’ve always been so publicly against Kansas City,” Simmons told Kay Adams of the Up & Adams Show on Tuesday. “And it’s because they’re a really good team. I just want to beat them. It’s just ingrained in me to beat them. … Am I closing [that door]? No. But I want to be [on a team] that beats them.”

Despite the urging of Adams (who reminded Simmons that Denver cut him), and ex-Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty (who drew ring-chasing parallels to Darrelle Revis), the four-time All-Pro selection remained noncommittal about returning to the AFC West — in red.

“Like I said, I’m not closing the door,” Simmons said. “I’m not that incompetent to think if Kansas City wanted me to come through, I wouldn’t. But I just want to beat them. I want to be [on a team] that beats them.”

“I love Justin Simmons to Kansas City,” advocated McCourty. “Lose a veteran safety, bring in a veteran safety. He’s been picking Mahomes off since he was a young buck in Denver. He can tell Mahomes why and how it’s happening. He’ll fix that. Get you a Super Bowl ring. Why not, man?”

Simmons, 31, joined the Atlanta Falcons on a one-year deal following his March 2024 release from the Broncos. He started 16 games for the Dirty Birds, notching 36 solo tackles and two interceptions while grading out as Pro Football Focus‘ 68th-ranked safety among 98 qualifiers.

Simmons may not ultimately put pen to paper with the Chiefs, but he’s even less likely to resurface in Denver, who immediately replaced him last year with Brandon Jones (PFF’s No. 3 safety). The team also supplemented the room this offseason by signing ex-49ers standout S Talanoa Hufanga to a $39 million contract.

“He’s a great communicator, he’s super intelligent, his experience and there is a toughness about the way he plays,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said of Hufanga on March 31. “Sometimes you can be a second [defensive] responder [and] sometimes a first [defensive] responder, and he appears first a lot on screen. There’s a style to how he plays. Part of that style—because he’s so physical and so quick to support—he’s had a handful of injuries, but there’s a toughness to his game. You guys will like him. [There is] something about him when you meet him and you visit with him. So that was a big get. We felt excited about that.”