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Ex-Cardinals First-Rounder Running Out of Room on Packers Roster After Two Disappointing Preseason Outings

GREEN BAY, Aug. 18, 2025 — In June, Isaiah Simmons was the “unicorn”: blurring speed, long stride, always flashing in OTAs. In August, the same player walks into a quiet locker room—where the tape loops the small, fatal mistakes. Back-to-back preseason games below expectations have yanked him out of the safety zone, pushing a former first-round pick right up against the edge.

In the opener, Simmons misread a boot-action on the very first series—eyes glued to the fake, feet late by half a beat, leaving a wide-open window for an easy 19-yard catch. A week later, he lost on a tight end vertical: drop depth came up short, shoulders opened too early, leverage surrendered. The speed is still there, but the processing trails the ball—and in the NFL, a half-beat late can be an entire move lost.

The story flipped fast. Once the pads go on, pedigree stops being a passport. Green Bay runs on meritocracy: the trustworthy stay. At linebacker, the arithmetic of a 53-man roster usually allows only five or six spots. A few names already hold tickets thanks to steady play and special-teams value. The rest need a timely spark: a clean tackle for loss, a pressure that forces 3rd-and-long, or at minimum a visible stamp on kick/punt coverage. Simmons hasn’t produced that yet. No splash plays, no special-teams imprint—while a couple of younger faces are playing by the book and avoiding busts.

The idea of “locking” Simmons into one specific assignment—say a TE eraser in dime, a spy against mobile QBs, or a green-dog blitzer when the RB stays in protection—still has a path. But to earn back trust, he has to show three fundamentals immediately:

  1. Eye discipline vs. play-action/boot (key the right reads, don’t buy the fake).

  • Proper drop depth and angles in the hook/seam, without opening too soon.

  • Real special-teams value: 10–15 snaps a game with at least one winning rep—tackle or vice work on punt.

  • Amid that context, a clear message echoes through the Packers’ locker room.

    Head Coach Matt LaFleur : “We respect Isaiah’s effort, but here, opportunities are earned in pads and on every snap. You can be a first-rounder or a UDFA—Green Bay keeps only those who process fast, play with the right motor, and are reliable in the system. At this point, we need to see absolute discipline in his eyes, feet, and leverage. If that standard isn’t met, we have to make a tough decision.”

    One final week still sits on the calendar, but the clock is near zero. Unless Simmons flips the script in the preseason finale—not just running fast but playing right: no busts, no abandoned landmarks, and a tangible special-teams footprint—the Packers’ decision may already be written. This is no longer about a former first-rounder or a light, ~$1 million deal; it’s August’s basic exam: when the lights come on, only the tape speaks for you. And right now, the tape isn’t speaking in Isaiah Simmons’ favor.

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    Father of Packers Rookie DT shocks everyone by declaring he will quit his job and live off his son — his words leave the room silent
    Green Bay, WI — October 7, 2025. In the Lambeau Field press room, a man with work-hardened hands looked straight into the lens, his voice low but resolute:“Why should I keep working when I can live off my son? I just want to say one thing: ‘Thank you, son — from now on your father will live off you.’” He paused for half a beat and smiled. “I’m saying it half-jokingly. I’ve worked night shifts my whole life, some months counting every dollar to pay the power bill. Today, when my son sent 100% of his first month’s salary to our family, it felt like we finally rounded a long, hard bend. ‘Live off my son’ is my way of saying pride, and of setting down old burdens.”Beside him, the rookie nodded gently. Per a plan discussed with his advisors, starting next month 50% of his salary will go home on a regular schedule — the rest will be split among long-term savings, a small fund for his old school, and careful investments. “Careers can be short or long, but gratitude to our parents can’t wait,” he said, just loud enough for the room to hear. Outside, the “Titletown” signage shimmered in the morning haze. For a young defensive tackle fighting his way into the Packers’ rotation, everything moved fast: signing as a UDFA after the Draft, grinding through camp, and then making the 53-man roster right before the season — milestones most players only dare to dream about. (It also extends the franchise’s streak to 21 straight seasons with at least one UDFA on the Week 1 roster.) That’s why this story goes well beyond a bank transfer. It’s a message about discipline, gratitude, and grit. A team spokesperson put it simply: “We respect any decision that puts family first — as long as the player matches it with professionalism every day.” On the low risers of the press room, a few reporters nodded: it’s rare to see a rookie choose to “speak with his wallet” in his very first month. And then, at the heart of this story — like the moment a name finally gets inked onto the lineup — that rookie is Nazir Stackhouse: DT #93 of the Green Bay Packers, undrafted in 2025, who quite literally stitched his name onto a first-team jersey. Back at the podium, the father — still wearing a faded ball cap — spoke again, slower this time, clearer:“I’m not bragging. I’ve patched roads, hauled loads; some days my hands cracked and bled. We ate lean so our son could chase football. Today I say ‘live off my son’ because, for the first time, I feel I can breathe. Thank you, son, for not giving up.”Then he turned to his boy, a hint of mischief in his voice: “As for me… tomorrow I’ll still work half a day. The other half, I’ll be home grilling for the neighbors.” A quick hug closed the presser. Shutters clicked. The rookie smiled and tugged up the strap of his practice backpack: “On the field, this is only the beginning,” he said. In Green Bay — where the Lombardi name is heritage — a rookie’s anchor doesn’t always start in a thick playbook; sometimes it begins with an envelope sent home and a single sentence that makes a crowded room go quiet.