Nick Scott will live out every football players’ dream when he lines up as a safety for the Los Angeles Rams on Super Bowl Sunday. But that wouldn’t have been possible without first playing under the Friday night lights of Fairfax County, Virginia.
Fairfax County Public Schools proudly highlighted their alumni and the strong relationship he still has with Fairfax High School’s football coach, Kevin Simonds.
As Simonds tells it, when Scott first joined Fairfax’s football team his junior year after his family moved to the area, he quickly showed coaches that he could play running back, wide receiver, linebacker and even quarterback — and play those positions really, really well.
“His first game, I think, he scored three touchdowns: two rushing, one receiving,” Simonds said. “I was like, ‘Okay, this kid is blowing up the scene in northern Virginia football right away.’”
Simonds joined Scott on recruiting trips with top teams like Alabama, Clemson and Purdue before Scott ultimately chose Penn State, his first choice. He shined as a Nittany Lion and was drafted by the Rams in 2019.
Simonds said that Scott’s talent was rivaled only by how likable he is.
He was a captain at both Fairfax High and Penn State, and often led team prayers on game days. For the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers in January, Scott bought tickets for three of his close friends and Fairfax High football teammates.
“It’s neat to see how many people are affected by him,” Simonds said. “Because he is such a good person in and out, people just gravitate toward him. It’s fun seeing thousands and thousands of people cheering him on.”
Simonds went to Scott’s first NFL game when the Rams played the Carolina Panthers in 2019. After the Rams won the NFC Championship two weeks ago, Simonds texted to Scott, “God is good.” Scott replied back that “God is good.”
The playoffs have been a major opportunity for Scott.
When Rams starting safety Jordan Fuller was injured during the regular season finale on Jan. 9, Scott was tapped as the next man up. He’s shown that he belongs by making big plays, such as intercepting legendary quarterback Tom Brady when the Rams beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Jan. 23.
Scott will now get a chance to show the world his talents during Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
