Kansas City Chiefs' rookie left tackle Josh Simmons left the team hours before the Week 6 matchup against the Detroit Lions to attend to a personal family matter in his hometown of San Diego. He has missed the team’s last two games and is likely not to suit up for Monday night’s Week 8 game against the Washington Commanders.
That said, Kansas City’s first-round draft pick (No. 32 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft has received an updated return timeline, the first concrete update since his unexpected absence began earlier this month.
The Chiefs expect Simmons to return “in a few weeks,” according to ESPN’s Nate Taylor, likely after their mid-November bye week, giving him time to rejoin the team under stable circumstances.
Head coach Andy Reid provided an update on the 22-year-old's situation on Thursday.
“There's communication, and everything is positive,” Reid said. “It's not a negative situation, so he's taking care of family. He's just taking care of business. That's the main thing. When you deal with this, that's what you do.
“He's been very good about communicating.”
Kansas City listed him as “Not Injury Related — Personal” on the official injury report throughout Weeks 6 and 7.
Before stepping away, Simmons wasted no time proving his worth, earning the starting left tackle job in training camp, and performing solidly in his first five NFL games. He ranks 25th out of 77 qualifying tackles with a 73.0 pass-blocking grade, while his 55.0 run-blocking grade sits 55th, according to Pro Football Focus. The Chiefs drafted him out of Ohio State, where injuries had previously limited his collegiate playing time, but his early pro performance validated Kansas City’s first-round investment.
In Simmons’ absence, veteran Jaylon Moore, who signed a two-year, $30 million contract (with $21.2 million guaranteed) this offseason, has filled in effectively. Over 84 pass-block snaps in his two starts, Moore has allowed only one sack and five total pressures.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ offensive line kept the train on the tracks. Guard Mike Caliendo stepped up for an injured Trey Smith, logging 65 snaps in the Week 7 shutout win over the Las Vegas Raiders, after Smith was unable to play because of back spasms.
Despite changes up front, the Kansas City offense has averaged 31.5 points per game over the last four outings, continuing to provide quarterback Patrick Mahomes with reliable protection and efficiency.
