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Honors & Awards
Second-Team All-Big Eight (UPI, Coaches, 1990)
Honorable-Mention All-Big Eight (AP, 1990)
11th-Round NFL Draft Pick (Atlanta Falcons, 1991)
Five NFL Seasons (Atlanta Falcons, 1991; Green Bay Packers, 1992-95)
1990 (Senior)
A second-team All-Big Eight choice at defensive tackle for the Huskers in 1990, Joe Sims started 10 regular-season games alongside his high school teammate Mike Croel (All-American outside linebacker, first-round NFL pick) and recorded 41 tackles (18 solos), including six TFLs (22 yards). Sims also registered four sacks (17 yards), while posting eight quarterback hurries. The 6-3, 280-pound Sims added his first career interception (vs. Kansas State) and broke up a pair of passes for the Blackshirts. He missed Nebraska’s win over Northern Illinois with a bruised knee. He notched a career-high nine tackles at Iowa State, when he added three hurries, a sack and a breakup. He contributed eight tackles along with his interception against K-State. He was Nebraska’s nominee for Big Eight Defensive Player of the Week after both those performances. Sims helped lead a Blackshirt defense that finished seventh nationally in both scoring defense (13.4 ppg) and total defense (263.5 ypg).
A three-year letterman, Sims played 33 career regular-season games with 18 starts, totaling 70 tackles (35 solos), 12 TFLs (56 yards) and seven sacks (44 yards). He also amassed 20 quarterback hurries. He played in the 1989 Orange Bowl and started the 1991 Florida Citrus Bowl, recording one unassisted tackle in each game. He did not have a tackle in the 1990 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl.
Sims was selected in the 11th round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons (283rd overall pick) and spent the 1991 season with Atlanta, playing six games. He was a member of the Green Bay Packers for four seasons from 1992 to 1995, and spent part of the 1995 season with Philadelphia, but he did not play for the Eagles. Sims appeared in 53 NFL games with 20 career starts. He started 14 games for the Packers in 1994, after making five starts in 1993. He made his final start while playing four total games for Green Bay in 1995.
1989 (Junior)
Sims played in every regular-season game for the second straight year, while starting Nebraska’s first seven games at left tackle on the defensive line. He was replaced in the starting unit late in the season by Ray Valladao down the stretch, but Sims continued to be an effective contributor for the Blackshirts. Sims finished with 20 total tackles, including 14 unassisted stops. He also posted four TFLs (23 yards), including two sacks (19 yards). He added six quarterback hurries and caused one interception. Sims recorded a season-high four tackles in the opening-day win over Northern Illinois. Sims helped lead a Husker defense that ranked eighth nationally in total defense (274.1 ypg).
1988 (Sophomore)
Sims was an alternate behind All-Big Eight defensive tackle Willie Griffin for the Huskers. Sims played in all 12 regular-season games, including his first career start against Kansas. He finished the season with nine tackles, including two for 11 yards lost. He added six QB hurries for the Big Eight champion Huskers before notching one unassisted tackle against Miami in the 1989 Orange Bowl. Sims helped Nebraska’s defense rank sixth nationally in passing defense (134.8 ypg) and seventh in total defense (262.8 ypg).
1987 (Freshman)
Sims started at defensive left tackle for Coach Shane Thorell’s Nebraska freshman team and finished with 18 tackles, including 12 solos.
Lincoln-Sudbury High School
An all-state split end for Coach Tom Lopez as a senior at Lincoln-Sudbury High School in 1986, Sims caught 16 passes for 220 yards and four touchdowns. He was also a standout defensive tackle. Sims and teammate Mike Croel combined to lead the school to back-to-back unbeaten seasons and a 25-game overall winning streak. Sims was also the starting center on the school’s basketball team.
Personal
The son of John and Shirley Sims, Joe was born March 1, 1969 in Sudbury, Mass. His brother John played college basketball at Maine while his brother Kevin played football at New Hampshire. Joe passed away on April 26, 2024 at the age of 55.