AJ Simon
| No. 8 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Defensive end |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | December 2, 1998[1] Oceanside, New York, U.S. |
| Died: | April 17, 2024 (aged 25) |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 267 lb (121 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Pocono Mountain West (Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Amitral "AJ" Simon Jr. (December 2, 1998 – April 17, 2024) was an American college football defensive end who played for the Bloomsburg Huskies and Albany Great Danes.
Early life
Coming out of high school in 2018, Simon decided to commit to play college football for the Bloomsburg Huskies.[2]
College career
During Simon's career at Bloomsburg, he notched 80 tackles with 20 being for a loss, 11.5 sacks, two pass deflections, and three forced fumbles.[3]
For the 2022 season, Simon transferred to play for the Albany Great Danes.[4] In his first season with the Great Danes, he tallied five sacks.[5] In 2023, Simon totaled 55 tackles and 12.5 sacks. He was named first-team all-CAA and a FCS All-American.[6] After the season, Simon declared for the 2024 NFL draft.[7]
Death
On April 17, 2024, just a week before the 2024 NFL draft, Simon was pronounced dead at the age of 25 due to sudden cardiac death.[8]
References
- ^ "AJ Simon". Twitter. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
- ^ Wells, Adam. "AJ Simon Dies; 2024 NFL Draft Prospect Played DL for University at Albany". Bleacher Report. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ "AJ Simon". Bloomsburg University Athletics. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ Madani, Doha (April 18, 2024). "NFL prospect AJ Simon dies one week before the draft". NBC News. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ "Albany football star AJ Simon Jr. dies week before NFL Draft". The Athletic. April 17, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ Vasquez, Ingrid. "Albany Football Star AJ Simon Dead at 25, 1 Week Before NFL Draft". People.com. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ Kelly, Michael. "UAlbany football star Amitral 'A.J.' Simon Jr. dies week before NFL draft". Times Union. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ "A year later, UAlbany football player's death impacts program". Times Union. April 4, 2025. Retrieved May 19, 2025.