It's safe to say that no one had a Bill Simmons-Columbus Blue Jackets beef on their bingo cards for the 2025-26 NHL season. Simmons made some comments about the franchise on a recent podcast, which was a bit of a shock, considering he doesn't have many hockey takes on his shows. Nevertheless, the polarizing podcast host grabbed the attention of the Blue Jackets and star defenseman Zach Werenski.
“Yeah, it doesn't matter. It is what it is, I guess, right? I'm not going to lose sleep over it,” Werenski told reporters before the Blue Jackets' 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. “I like Columbus, I like playing there, and I don't care what Bill Simmons has to say.”
Simmons' comments included that the Blue Jackets were the “most irrelevant franchise in professional sports” and that he “never heard a single conversation about the Blue Jackets.” The comments came on the return of a popular segment from podcasts past, the Bill Simmons mailbag.
Columbus has a small but diehard fan base in their region, but they don't get much mainstream attention. They have just six playoff appearances and two series wins in 25 years, and it's rare for them to have a superstar player. The Blue Jackets' plan is generally built on greater depth throughout the lineup from players willing to play with the organization. The typical narrative surrounding the team is that it's hard to attract big-name free agents, but once they arrive, they fall in love with the market.
Werenski is the current superstar on the team, but the rest of the group doesn't really get much attention. Simmons' comments weren't necessarily incorrect, but it was bizarre for him to throw a shot at the team when he hardly ever discusses hockey, which is likely what drew the ire of the Blue Jackets more than anything.
