Chris Simms’ NFL initiation didn’t come on the practice field or in a meeting room. It arrived the moment Jon Gruden told Simms to introduce himself to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ’ veterans, a rite of passage Simms quickly learned was anything but ceremonial.

“I stick my hand out, and Sapp goes, ‘Get the f— away from me,’” Simms recalled , laughing now at what felt like a shocking first interaction with Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp. But with time and experience, Simms came to believe that moment wasn’t entirely spontaneous.

“Did Gruden know that was gonna happen? I think he probably did,” Simms quipped.

The exchange encapsulates the era Simms entered. Gruden pushing buttons, veterans testing newcomers, and a locker room defined by the presence of icons like Sapp, De

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