Born: March 13, 1947                             Mena, Arkansas​​

Mike Simpson was born in Mena, Arkansas, but his family moved when he was very young, and he was raised in Groves, Texas. He ran track and played football at Port Neches-Groves High School, where he was an outstanding running back under head coach Bum Phillips. The team’s quarterback was Bum’s son, Wade Phillips. All three—Mike, Bum, and Wade—are now members of the Museum of the Gulf Coast Hall of Fame.

​

In 1965, Simpson was the lead runner on PNG’s four-man 440-yard sprint relay team, which set a national record of 41.2 seconds, a mark that stood for years. That same year, he also won the 220-yard dash at the state meet—records that are still recognized in school history.

​

As a senior, Mike was elected King of the Senior Court, alongside cheerleader Laurie Nunez, who was crowned Queen. In a twist of fate, Laurie later married Wade Phillips. Wade often reminds Mike, “You may have been the King—but I got the Queen.”

​

When Bum Phillips left PNG in 1965 to take an assistant coaching position at the University of Houston, he recruited three of his high school athletes to join him: Mike Simpson, George Caraway, and Wade Phillips. While at the University of Houston, Mike developed a reputation not only for his speed on the field but also for his musical talent. When he was ten, his parents had given him a blonde Fender Esquire guitar, which he often played in his dorm room. One of his teammates asked him for lessons and learned from the beginner’s guitar book Mike lent him—a teammate who would later become country music star Larry Gatlin of the Gatlin Brothers.

​

After a standout career at Houston, Simpson was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the 13th round of the 1969 NFL Draft. During training camp, he set the team record for the fastest 40-yard dash in full pads, clocking in at 4.5 seconds—a mark that stood for many years. His speed caught the attention of San Francisco 49ers Vice President Jack White, who arranged a trade to bring him to San Francisco.

​

Although coaches briefly considered converting him to wide receiver, Simpson’s skill and instincts in the defensive backfield proved invaluable, and he remained on defense. He played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1970 to 1974, sharing the secondary with fellow MOGC Hall of Famer Johnny Fuller, a former Lamar University track and field standout.

​

During his four years with the 49ers, the team captured three NFC Western Division Championships. After four physically demanding seasons, Simpson realized during the 1975 preseason that at 5'9" and 170 pounds, his body had endured enough punishment, and he made the difficult decision to retire from professional football.

​

Years later, Simpson was diagnosed with early signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In a final act of generosity and courage, he volunteered to participate in ongoing medical studies on the long-term effects of repeated head impacts among former NFL players—continuing his legacy of helping others even beyond his playing years.