Bill "El Wingador" Simmons

In 2001, Simmons was featured on Glutton Bowl, where he took first place in sushi eating.

Becoming a local overnight sensation after winning Wing Bowl VII, Simmons decided to expand the El Wingador brand and created his own successful hot sauce, which sold across the country—even receiving orders from Alaska. Simmons announced on his podcast in 2019 that he is planning on restarting the company.[3]

On June 16, 2012, Simmons was arrested and charged with first-degree cocaine distribution.[4] Simmons was released on a $10,000 bail and issued the following statement:

"This isn't me. This isn't my style. I messed up big time and I give my sincerest apologies to anyone I have hurt by my actions,"[5]

In July 2013, Simmons pled guilty to second-degree possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.[6] He was sentenced to seven years in state prison on October 4 of that same year. Simmons was released in May 2015, and vowed to gain control of his life and become a better example for his children, as well as others who made the same mistakes he did.

During his time incarcerated, Simmons began writing his memoir, Snow On The Barb Wire, with Joe Vallee, a South Jersey-based entrepreneur, Simmons' friend and now business partner. Vallee, who often visited Simmons in prison, transcribed the chapters Simmons wrote from legal paper, and converted them into a document. Prior to Simmons' release, half of the book had already been completed. The second half, which detailed Simmons' prison experiences and his adjustment to life post-incarcertation, were finished upon his release—a painstaking task for Simmons, according to Vallee in the book acknowledgements, as recapping the previous events from the last several years was not something that came easily for him. Simmons later viewed the experience as therapeutic, as well as a stepping stone towards a path of spiritual healing.

Snow On The Barb Wire was released to critical acclaim in November 2016.[7] Angelo Cataldi, co-creator of Wing Bowl and SportsRadio 94WIP Morning Show host, provided the foreword to the book. Some discussions with Simmons and Vallee have taken place with several Los Angeles-based film companies, in hopes of adapting the book into a screenplay. As of January 2020, no plans have been announced.

Simmons and Vallee launched a podcast, aptly titled Wing Vallee, on Wildfire Radio in June 2019. The podcast, which centered around their restaurant quest, also featured interviews with fellow competitive eaters, including fellow multiple Wing Bowl champion Molly Schuyler as well as Celebrity Boxing promoter Damon Feldman. Wing Vallee aired for 13 episodes and concluded its run in October 2019. Simmons and Vallee have both expressed their desire to restart the show upon the launch of their restaurant.

In September 2017, Simmons kickstarted a Philly Chicken Restaurant.[8] In the wake of the natural disasters in Texas and Puerto Rico, the project proved unsuccessful. As of January 2020, Simmons and Vallee have been in discussions about securing a restaurant management deal.