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Wayne State University Athletics

Brian Sevald
Kayley Tolin
Tom Sims

Tom Sims

UPDATED January 27, 2025

Tom Sims joined the Wayne State University football coaching staff in February of 2023.  He coached the defensive line as well as serving as the defensive coordinator for the first two years during the Tyrone Wheatley era with the Warriors.

In his inaugural season with the Warriors, Sims mentored two All-GLIAC performers in Honorable Mention selections Jaden Davis and Kane Quinlan.  In addition, 11 of his defensive linemen received Academic All-GLIAC recognition, including six on the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team for maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5.

In his second year at WSU, his defense finished second in the GLIAC in forced fumbles (9) and second in fumble recoveries (8).  He had seven student-athletes garner Academic All-GLIAC recognition, including three on the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team for maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5.

A Detroit native having graduated from Cass Tech, Sims played collegiately at Western Michigan and Pittsburgh earning a bachelor's degree in Business from the University of Pittsburgh in 1990.

He totaled 48 tackles (33-15), including three for loss and a fumble recovery for the Broncos in 1985.  The following season, Sims accumulated 45 tackles (18-27), including a sack among his three tackles for loss, plus two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.  After redshirting in 1987, Sims played for the Panthers in 1988 and 1989.  He started all 11 games in 1988 totaling 78 tackles (48-30), including 10 tackles for loss (8.5 sacks).  In his final season in Pittsburgh, Sims made 54 tackles (29-25) in 12 games with five tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.

Before embarking on a professional career as a defensive tackle in the National Football League, Sims played in the Martin Luther King Classic in 1989.  He was a sixth round draft selection (152nd overall) by Kansas City in 1990. 

His professional career included four seasons with Kansas City (1990-92, 1996), two with Indianapolis (1993-94) and in training camp with Minnesota in 1995.  Sims played 47 games in the NFL, finishing with 65 career tackles and four sacks.  He had a career-best 30 stops while playing for Indianapolis in 1993.

He began his coaching career as the defensive line coach at Western Kentucky from 1997 through 1999, before spending the 2000 campaign at Eastern Michigan as defensive line coach.  In his four seasons at the University of Minnesota (2001-04), Sims helped the Gophers win three consecutive Bowl games along with having three defensive linemen sign NFL contracts (Anthony Montgomery-Washington Redskins, Greg White-Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Darrell Reid-Indianapolis Colts).

Sims coached the defensive line from 2005 through 2008 at the University of Illinois, where he recruited and coached seven defensive linemen who were drafted and signed by NFL teams, including first round selections Corey Liuget (San Diego Chargers) and Whitney Mercilus (Houston Texans).  After one season at the University of Kansas (2009), Sims served as assistant head coach and defensive line coach at Youngstown State for five years (2010-14).

He was at the University of Pittsburgh for two seasons (2015-16) before participating in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Baltimore Ravens during the 2017 training camp.  Sims spent four years (2018-21) at Savannah State University serving as Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach.  His most recent position was as the Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach at Arkansas-Pine Bluff University in 2022.

He and his wife, Rene, have two grown daughters, Sydney and Zoe.

Playing Experience:
Western Michigan University, 1986-1987
University of Pittsburgh, 1988-1989
Kansas City Chiefs, 1990-1992
Indianapolis Colts, 1993-1994
Minnesota Vikings, 1995
Kansas City Chiefs, 1996

Coaching Experience:
Western Kentucky, 1997-1999 | Defensive Line
Eastern Michigan, 2000 | Defensive Line
Minnesota, 2001-2004 | Defensive Line
Illinois, 2005-2008 | Defensive Line
Kansas, 2009 | Defensive Line
Youngstown State, 2010-2014 | Defensive Line
Pittsburgh, 2015-2016 | Defensive Line
Baltimore Ravens, 2017 | Training Camp
Savannah State, 2018 | Defensive Line
Savannah State, 2019-2021 | Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
Arkansas Pine Bluff, 2022 | Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
Wayne State, 2023-2024 | Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line