Chris Simms discussed how he deals with all the rumors about his future.

Bucs backup quarterback Chris Simms was kind enough to grant Joe a few moments after the Bucs 27-10 win over New England on Sunday . Simms touched upon dealing with all the rumors and innuendo about his immediate future.

Joe: What are some of your perceptions about your status with the Bucs?

Simms: The NFL in this day and age now is truly ruthless. It’s, “What have you done for me lately?” That’s just the way it is. I think all the players understand it. You just deal with it.

Joe: How do you deal with it? I don’t know if you surf the net much or read the papers at all? There are all sorts of rumors out there. You were supposed to be dealt to Dallas but the trade didn’t go through. Then there’s all sorts of speculation on you being picked up by other teams. Do you just block it out?

Simms: I hear it, don’t get me wrong. I hear the rumors. But I’ve never been one to read the newspaper or I don’t even go on the computer. I just go by what people tell me. Hey, all that stuff, I listen a little bit of course because it’s about my life. At the same time, I don’t put too much stock into it because I am just trying to get myself back to where I want to be. I want to get used to being a quarterback again.

Joe: Do you use the rumors and speculation as motivation at all?

Simms: You try. But everything is motivation in this league. You get motivated by everything. I am extremely self-motivated. Yeah, there are, I am sure, people that didn’t know if I would ever be back from my injury. I try to use that as motivation just to say, “All right. Here I am. I’m back.” I might not be clicking on all cylinders yet but not because of something physically. It’s just because I need to get out there and get playing again.

Joe: Does your dad [Super Bowl-winning quarterback Phil Simms] ever tell you about how he handled things as a player? He went through some rocky times with the Giants.

Simms: Sure. I witnessed a lot of it. Me and dad, we talk. I think he raised me well. I think he has confidence that he raised me well. He kind of says fatherly advice like keep working hard and don’t worry about the other stuff because it will all take care of itself. And you know, that’s all I can do.