Family ties: Bonita's Peter Simmons, a 4th generation Wolverine, wins national title with Michigan

Peter Simmons III can trace his University of Michigan roots back to 1890.

The fourth-generation Wolverine reached the top of the football mountain as a member of Michigan's College Football Playoff National Championship team, which beat Washington 34-13 Monday night at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Simmons III said his family's ties to the school make the accomplishment that much sweeter.

"To be completely honest with you, it's been insane," said Simmons III, a Bonita Springs resident. "The game itself, and then taking in that we're national champions. It's something as a kid you grow up dreaming about. With all my family history, I grew up a huge Michigan fan and idolized those guys... and to be in that position now is truly insane, and so surreal that words can't describe what I'm feeling, what this team is feeling, and what my family is feeling."

Simmons III was a standout offensive lineman at Bishop Verot. He earned a News-Press First-Team All-Area nod in 2020 and was an important part of a Viking squad that averaged 341 yards per game.

After growing up in Ann Arbor before moving to Southwest Florida in the first grade, Simmons had one athletic goal that we worked towards ― suiting up in the Maize and Blue.

He declined seven other offers to take a preferred walk-on spot from Jim Harbaugh and make that dream a reality.

His great-grandfather was part of the crew that dug the first hole for what would become Michigan Stadium, nicknamed the Big House, in September of 1926. His grandfather was a Michigan alumnus and rabid supporter of the program, and his mother SueZahn followed suit.

So for Simmons, being listed as a junior defensive lineman on the Michigan championship squad and a member of arguably the best Wolverine team of all time, is the culmination of 134 years of his family's legacy in Ann Arbor.

"It's life-changing for all of us," SueZahn said. "His life just completely changed. You always want the best for your kids, and he's set for life now. He'll never forget it. His legacy for his children, his grandchildren, his name is going to be on that wall forever. It just chokes me up, I'm so proud of him."

After the Wolverines punched their ticket to the title game, the Simmons family packed up the car and drove to Houston to watch their son live out his dream. Peter Simmons, his father and former mayor of Bonita Springs, says the experience was the full spectrum of human emotion.

"It's an amazingly nervous combination of yelling, screaming, high-fiving with family, exhausting, draining, exhilarating," Simmons said. "It's all of the above and then some. Exciting, certainly, and pride for our son and the Michigan Wolverines. It really is the full gamut of emotions, ending with tears of joy."

"It is a mix of every single emotion that you could have ever felt," Simmons III said. "Everything that, personally, I've done in my life to get to this point and win a national championship, what it means to my family, everything that I've done growing up being a big Michigan fan... and all the work the [entire program] put in starting almost 365 days ago after the TCU game (51-45 loss in CFP semifinal). We didn't point fingers, we came together, worked harder, and said we're going to do this thing. And that's exactly what we did."

With Washington facing a 27-13 deficit with just over four minutes to play, the Huskies were forced to take a deep look on fourth-and-long just to stay alive. But Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil reeled in the interception and returned it 81 yards, setting up a touchdown that iced the 34-13 win.

After the interception, it began to sink in for Simmons III just what was about to happen.

"After Mikey got that game-sealing pick, it really set in, like 'Oh my gosh,'" Simmons III said. "It was a similar feeling I had when we beat Ohio State my freshman year for the first time in however many years... it was a feeling like, it's actually going to happen. You're fighting tears the entire time, you don't want to be the only guy crying yet, but it's just so surreal especially because of what it means to my family and I."

The Simmons family says the outpouring of love and support leading up to, during, and after the win is something that won't be forgotten.

"It's incredible, it's an honor, it's a privilege, and it's humbling," Simmons III said. "It happened certainly at this game. We were in Houston having breakfast, and I had my Michigan shirt on, and a stranger asked us about the school and of course as a proud mother and father we said our son is on the team, and he wanted a picture with us! We were happy to pose with a perfect stranger because of his excitement and admiration for our son and the University of Michigan. It's incredible, and very very humbling."

And for Simmons III specifically, he hopes his experience can be a beacon to other young, up-and-coming athletes who are in the same position he was four years ago. All of the extra workouts, missing out on social events, and pushing himself to the limit have paid off.

"When I grew up a Michigan fan, I would view those players as idols," Simmons III said. "I played offensive line growing up and wore number 77 after Michigan star Taylor Lewan. Just little things like that, and now I'm potentially that, hopefully for my local community. For all the young players out there, it's possible. If you work hard enough, believe enough, don't give up, and don't listen to the haters telling you it's not possible, it is possible. If you put your mind to it, you will be a champion."

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Peter Simmons III suits up for Michigan, wins College Football National Championship