Getty
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – AUGUST 22: Josh Simmons #71 of the Kansas City Chiefs watches the game from the sidelines during the second quarter during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on August 22, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
The status of Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Josh Simmons is being heavily speculated on.
Simmons sustained a back injury late during training camp, but it was initially believed to be minor. The Chiefs held him out of preseason out of precaution, but it was expected that he would be ready to play in the regular season opener against the Denver Broncos.
Not only did Simmons not play in Week 1, he still hasn’t returned to practice and will not play against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2. All of this has led to fans and insiders wondering if there is a deeper problem at play. Not many NFL insiders have pushed the issue, but some are beginning to.
Josh Simmons’ Commitment to the Kansas City Chiefs Is Being Questioned
Coach Andy Reid has not stated that Simmons is dealing with anything other than rehabbing from his back injury. However, Bobby Burack of Outkick isn’t buying it — citing that the Chiefs are keeping something under wraps from insiders.
A few corrections to this: The Josh Simmons issue started a week before the Lions game last season. He told the team he didn’t know if he could play during warm-ups against the Jags on MNF. He ended up playing. He then left the city the Saturday after (the night before the Lions t.co/EvcoLZEV9T
The tweet above is one of many that Burack has fired off about the status between Simmons and the Chiefs. Of course, nothing is concrete, and we may never know if there is indeed more to the situation. Simmons has not been placed on injured reserve, so that could signal that Kansas City expects him to return soon.
NFL Insider Says Josh Simmons Has ‘The Most to Prove’ on Chiefs’ Roster
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes that Simmons is potentially blowing his future with the Chiefs, and may need to quickly prove himself worthy of being their franchise left tackle for the future.
“Unfortunately, Simmons missed nine games during his rookie season due to a personal absence and a wrist injury. He wasn’t particularly great when he was on the field, either, which left him with plenty to prove heading into Year 2. Simmons wasn’t a part of Kansas City’s dominant Week 1 victory, as he was ruled out with a back injury. Undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson got the start in Simmons’ stead, and while Benson wasn’t great (ranked 54th among tackles by PFF), he wasn’t any more of a liability than Simmons has been when healthy. If Simmons hopes to lock down a starting job with the Chiefs, he has to get back on the field and prove that he is more than a replacement-level player.”
I would have to disagree with Knox’s assessment that Simmons hasn’t played well when on the field, but the rest of his concerns are valid. Simmons only has eight NFL games under his belt, meaning he’ll still likely have some growing pains if or when he returns. However, his upside is that of a perennial All-Pro. Hopefully Simmons can get his career on track and fulfill that potential.
Nick Roesch Nick Roesch covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, with a focus on the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Chargers. He previously covered the Chiefs for USA TODAY Sports’ Chiefs Wire, and all 32 NFL teams for A to Z Sports. Roesch’s career in sports media spans 10 years. More about Nick Roesch