Phil Simms has been in the national TV spotlight for three decades.
Ever since he was cut by the Giants after being a Pro Bowler in 1993, he has been an analyst with ESPN, NBC and CBS.
Now, at 68 with his engine for the job still full, Simms is in some limbo as his contract expires after “The NFL Today” signs off during the Super Bowl in Las Vegas in February.
“I’m never going to get out of it,” Simms told The Post. “I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t go back to CBS. But I’m definitely going to continue to work with or in the NFL — somewhere, somehow, whatever it is. I’m just not going to go, ‘OK, I’m done. I’m retired.’ ”
To be clear, no decisions have been made by CBS. Network executives are laser-focused on the final regular-season game, the playoffs and the Super Bowl.
Simms is not alone with an expiring contract, as host James Brown, Boomer Esiason and Bill Cowher also are at the end of their deals.
CBS could run it back next year, but the future is definitely centered around Nate Burleson, who could eventually host the show, and part-timer J.J. Watt, who could have a bigger role if he wants it.
Simms said he isn’t focused on what is next. He thought about it in the offseason, wondering to himself if this would be his last season at CBS.
Since then, he said it hasn’t crossed his mind.
Whatever happens, Simms still plans to do his half-hour spots with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on SiriusXM and his podcast with his son Matt.
While he became a network fixture, Simms never really thought he would end up in broadcasting. After the Giants cut him, he went to Bristol, Conn., and tried out at ESPN with a young host named Mike Tirico.
While he got that job, Bill Belichick, then the Browns coach, had Simms in to see if he wanted to be Cleveland’s quarterback.
“It didn’t work out,” Simms said. “And then, yes, I had a couple other offers. Coaches called me and said, ‘Look, you can come right now as soon as you’re ready, you can start.’ I would tell my wife, ‘Hey, they’re gonna pay me more money than I’ve ever made.’ And she goes, ‘That’s great. We’ll come visit you on weekends.’ ”
He stayed retired.
Simms always thought he was going to coach after he finished playing.
“I did have two opportunities to go into coaching, and I did think about them,” Simms said.
Simms didn’t want to go into too much detail about them, though it was reported more than a decade ago that Raiders owner Al Davis once offered Simms a head-coaching job.
Simms didn’t say what the other offer was, as he didn’t want to cause headlines.
“I’ve never really told anybody about it,” Simms said. “Maybe a few people, I just say, ‘Hey, they offered me the job.’ I could have had it. I chickened out.”
He was right to stay on TV, where he has been one of the most important NFL analysts in the game.
While John Madden is widely considered the best of all time, Simms had a run where he went toe-to-toe with him. At the end with Jim Nantz, things fizzled out, which led to CBS hiring Tony Romo.
At that point, CBS could have said goodbye. But Simms is a pro’s pro, doing more homework than most analysts. It has served him well. Maybe CBS has him back next year.
But if this next six weeks are it for Simms on the national TV stage, it’s been a heck of a run.
FAN dominates ESPN NY
WFAN dominated ESPN New York for the fall book.
Post-Craig Carton in afternoons, Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber held their own, beating “The Michael Kay Show” handily.
From 3-6:30 p.m in the male 25-54 demographic, which is how the stations traditionally gauge themselves, Roberts and Barber were third (6.7) compared to Kay’s 11th (3.6).
In mornings, FAN’s “Boomer and Gio” dominated, finishing first with a 12.1 share.
The mornings, though, for ESPN NY is where their best story was delivered as “DiPietro & Rothenberg” were sixth with a 4.1 share.
From 10-2, FAN’s Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata finished third (7.6) against ESPN New York’s 11th (3.1) for Mike Greenberg and then Bart Scott and Alan Hahn.
