Crime in Sports · James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman

His Own Worst Enemy - Wayne Simmons - Part 1

January 6, 2026·2 hr 23 min·5 clips

Wayne Simmons was arrested for hitting a woman because she was ignoring him—just the start of his violent streak.

This episode of Crime in Sports begins a two-part story on former NFL linebacker Wayne "Big Money" Simmons. Hosts James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman introduce Simmons as a relatively unknown player from the 1990s whose off-field story is unexpectedly wild. The episode details Simmons's impoverished upbringing in Low Bottom, South Carolina, near the resort area of Hilton Head. His mother, Dorothy, worked multiple jobs, including at a Starvin' Marvin convenience store and cleaning golf club locker rooms, while the family home lacked indoor plumbing until 1979. A 1993 article describes Simmons chopping wood for heat from age ten and working as a dishwasher from age twelve, where he felt treated "like garbage." His father left when he was two and a half, and Simmons rebuffed his attempted return when he was fourteen. A turning point came when Simmons found his mother crying about their poverty, which he says motivated him to change their circumstances through football. His high school coach, Bob Arundel, and a tutor named Tom Gardo, a Vietnam veteran, became key male influences, with Gardo helping him academically. A surprising claim is that Simmons considered his mother, Dorothy, his "best friend" even into adulthood. The episode highlights the stark economic divide Simmons witnessed between students from Hilton Head and his own community, which he called a "society difference." A memorable detail is that his grandmother, Mamie, prepared cold salads at a Hilton Head resort for years. The hosts express skepticism about the emotional dynamic between Simmons and his mother, questioning if her tearful breakdown was manipulative or a sign of being at her absolute limit. They also humorously critique the naming of local institutions like the "Technical College of the Low Country." The tone is conversational and comedic, with the hosts frequently interjecting sarcastic commentary on the bleak details of Simmons's early life. Their style involves banter, exaggerated reactions, and tangential jokes about places like Yuma, Arizona. Listeners who enjoy deep dives into obscure, tragicomic sports stories with a heavy dose of host commentary will love this episode. Those who prefer straightforward, reverential sports biographies or are sensitive to jokes about poverty might want to skip it.

As heard by us

A frustrated linebacker, a coaching change, and a very Crime in Sports kind of confidence wobble.

Wayne Simmons is caught between a coaching change, a new defensive system, and the kind of confidence wobble that can follow when the pressure keeps rising.

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Why you'd press play

Press play if you want a Clemson football story about a gifted linebacker losing confidence fast under a new defense.

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