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Josh Simmons’ tenure with the Chiefs has been rocky.
Kansas City felt lucky to land Simmons, arguably the top offensive tackle prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, with the final pick — No. 32 — in the first round.
A season-ending knee injury Simmons suffered at Ohio State reportedly pushed him down draft boards and into the Chiefs’ laps.
General Manager Brett Veach, coach Andy Reid and the rest of the organization counted themselves lucky, because Simmons’ talent — he’s a fluid athlete, strong enough to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blindside from the league’s top pass rushers and nimble enough to make plays in space as a run blocker — has shone when he’s been able to play.
But the start to Simmons’ career also has been shrouded in mystery and plagued by injury.
The Simmons saga took another turn when reports emerged early Sunday that he’d been asked to leave a team meeting midweek after getting into a disagreement with Reid. Mahomes also reportedly spoke up to back Reid, according to ESPN.
After the game, Kansas City Star columnist Sam McDowell asked Reid about the alleged midweek disruption: “Listen, Sam, I've said so much on him; (Head Athletic Trainer) Rick (Burkholder's) talked about him — things happen,” Reid said. “That’s not the reason he was put on IR. He’s got a bad back. So, he’s got to get that worked out. That’s the main thing. I’ll leave it at that. That’s where we’re at with it.”
Former Chiefs offensive lineman Jeff Allen said the Simmons saga "seemed strange to me since last season," and he suggested the report "feels less like a leak and more like a message being sent."
This whole Josh Simmons situation has seemed strange to me since last season. I never want to question another man's medical situation, but anybody who's played this game knows there's a difference between being hurt and being injured. Playing through discomfort comes with the… https://t.co/Wt5pk89KtY
— The Cookie Expert (@JeffAllen71) October 25, 2026
Simmons missed more than a month last season and was away from the team dealing with an undisclosed issue. He was back in the starting lineup after returning to the team in November, but a broken wrist on Thanksgiving Day in Dallas ended Simmons’ season.
The Chiefs were banking on Simmons to solidify the left-tackle job, but he picked up a calf injury in training camp, which led to an MRI that revealed a bulging disc in his back.
Rehab was recommended over surgery, and Kansas City opted not to put Simmons on injured reserve to start the season, but — one day after the reported incident in a meeting — he landed on IR anyway Thursday.
Former Chiefs offensive tackle called the Chiefs' initial explanation, which strictly discussed the injury, "fishy" and said it led him to assume there was more to the story based on his past experience in the team's locker room.
My mentions are open for apologies for all the people angrily telling me I was wrong to suggest the story we were told Wednesday/Thursday smelled fishy. Yes, there’s way more going on than the nice and tidy “simple” medical story they told us. https://t.co/Ind6QgWWA0
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) October 25, 2026
During the meeting, Reid reportedly asked Simmons to take his feet off a table. He reportedly replied that he needed to sit that way because his back and hips hurt, so Reid told Simmons to see the training staff.
Words were exchanged before Mahomes interjected and also backed Reid, telling Simmons to go receive treatment.
As he has all season, Khalil Benson, an undrafted rookie from Indiana, started at left tackle in Simmons’ absence.
Josh Ezeudu started at right tackle with Jaylon Moore sidelined with a concussion. Moore started the first five games at right tackle.
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