Prior to arriving at ONU, Simon was a Defensive and Special Teams Analyst for the University of Maryland Terrapins.
Simon is one of only ten football coaches to win both an NCAA Division I-A/FBS national championship (with Washington in 1991) and a Super Bowl (with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000).
Simon succeeded Dennis Parker as head coach at North Texas in 1994, becoming only the 10th African American to lead a Division I-A football squad.
Simon believed the proposed 1998 non conference schedule put too many North Texas football players at risk for injury.
In 2006, Matt Simon resigned from the Ravens to pursue other opportunities in the NFL because of uncertainties with former head coach Brian Billick's tenor with the team.
He helped lead LaDainian Tomlinson to his second NFL rushing title while coaching Pro Bowl Fullback, Lorenzo Neal and RB, Darren Sproles.
One of those All-Conference running backs, Branden Oliver, broke James Starks' single season school rushing record at the University at Buffalo in 2011 with Simon as his coach.