Andy Reid did not hide his frustration over the Josh Simmons questions on Friday. The Kansas City Chiefs head coach spoke a day after the team placed its starting left tackle on injured reserve with a bulging disc in his lower back, and he ended the topic himself.
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“I hope this isn’t asked to me every week. I mean, this is just put this to rest, and he’ll take care of that. And you guys, I mean, this isn’t that big of a story. Let’s focus on the football team, the guys playing,” Reid said at the press conference.
It started with a simple follow-up. A reporter pointed out that Rick Burkholder, the Chiefs’ vice president of sports medicine and performance, had not said what options Simmons was considering after the team gave him a day off on Wednesday. Reid fired back, saying:
“Then he must not have wanted you to know what the options were.”
Reid did explain the thinking behind the break. He said the Chiefs wanted to give Simmons a chance to sort things out with his family and agents. Simmons was listed as “back/personal” on Wednesday’s injury report, and Sports Illustrated reported that Reid left the press conference early after several questions on the subject.
The coach also made it clear that nobody has a neat answer here. He said doctors and Simmons will make the final call on treatment, and he did not hide how unpredictable backs can be.
“Backs are complicated. We all know that. And sometimes time works. It might be longer time, extended time. And then sometimes you have to have the surgery.”
That last part is what keeps the questions coming. Surgery has been ruled out so far, but this has dragged on far longer than anyone first expected.
Burkholder explained the timeline on Thursday. Simmons came to him on August 17 with calf discomfort, and an MRI found a herniated disc. Burkholder said the disc sits higher in the spine than the team usually sees in offensive linemen, which “complicated the case.” A spine specialist in California recommended rehab over surgery, and a repeat MRI a few weeks later showed the disc had improved.
“Josh worked his tail off & diligent every day,” Burkholder said. “However, we feel he’s plateaued in the rehab process. He’s just not there yet.”
Injured reserve means Simmons must miss at least four games, which makes Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals the earliest he could return. That is not a confirmed target, and Burkholder said Simmons still does not need surgery and will keep rehabbing with the goal of playing again. Back in September, Reid said surgery was not the plan, but he did not rule it out.
So what turned a few weeks into more than two months? The Chiefs have not offered a clear answer, and Reid’s patience on Friday suggests they may not offer one soon.
In the meantime, undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson, who has never played left tackle in college, is taking up the position. Pro Football Focus credited him with 12 pressures allowed in pass protection. He earned a 65.6 overall PFF grade in the season so far, 40th among 73 qualified offensive tackles, and Kansas City is still undefeated at 5-0.
Josh Simmons’ Rocky Road Since the Chiefs Drafted Him
Simmons’ injury problems did not start in Kansas City. The Chiefs took him with the 32nd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after a patellar tendon injury ended his Ohio State season early. He was still a rookie with plenty to prove, and he made that clear early.
In August 2025, he was asked whether he had played enough in the preseason after just one 10-play drive at Seattle, and he did not hesitate:
“I absolutely want more.”
His rookie year was bumpy anyway. Simmons played eight games and missed Weeks 6 through 9 for personal reasons. When Reid was asked about it at the time, he kept it short.
“My update for you with Josh would just be: there’s communication,” Reid said. “I’m not going to get into all of it. Everything’s positive. It’s not a negative situation. He’s taking care of family.”
Then Simmons dislocated and fractured his wrist in Week 13, which ended his season. Add the back problem this year, and he has missed 14 of a possible 22 games in his career.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs travel to Lumen Field on Sunday night to face the Seattle Seahawks. Benson will stay at left tackle, and with Jaylon Moore in the concussion protocol, Joshua Ezeudu is expected to start at right tackle.