After missing the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 6 win over the Detroit Lions due to what was called a “family situation,”  offensive tackle Josh Simmons missed practice again on Wednesday. No one seems to know what’s really going on. However, recently, both coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes have stepped in to address the situation.

When reporters tried to dig deeper into the rookie’s status, the head coach made it clear he wasn’t going to add to the speculation. “As far as the Josh Simmons situation goes, I’m not going to comment on it today,” said Reid. “[Brett] Veach is handling everything there, and we’ll leave it at that.” And with that short response, the concern only grew.

Just two weeks ago, Simmons was listed as “questionable” before the Lions game with an illness. And after that matchup, things took a strange turn. Mahomes noticed his left tackle missing from the walkthrough before kickoff.

“Yeah, I mean, I didn’t fully know,” he said that time. “He wasn’t there, so I knew something was up. Talking with the coaches after, obviously a personal matter.” Now, things have taken a more concerning turn.

Simmons is officially out for Week 7, listed as “not injury related, personal.” According to the Associated Press, he’s back home in California dealing with a family situation. Neither the team nor Simmons has shared specifics. So, naturally, Mahomes is keeping him in his prayers.

“I’ll keep conversations between us,” Mahomes said. “I’m always praying for him, I pray for all my teammates, so I’m always praying for him, I’ll just keep everything else private between us.”

Still, while the Simmons situation looms large, the next big question for the Chiefs is simple, who steps in to protect Mahomes now? Fortunately, they might already have an option within the squad.

Chiefs will use Jaylon Moore, amid Josh Simmons situation

While Josh Simmons remains away, the Chiefs are turning to Jaylon Moore. So, they’re betting on a backup who’s proved he’s more than just depth. The front office didn’t bring him in by chance; they signed him knowing he could step in and hold his own if needed. Even Patrick Mahomes sounds all-in on Moore.

The quarterback didn’t hesitate when asked about his new left tackle. “I know the work that Jaylon has put in… He’s done his job and done it well. Having the reps in training camp and OTAs, I know he’s going to go out there and battle. He’s a starting tackle in this league,” he said.

Last week, Moore showed why he deserved this faith. Thrown into action against a respected pass rush, he held his ground and earned some praise from Coach Andy Reid too.

“He’s a competitive kid… he’s always ready. He practices a third of the practice because Andy (Heck) rotates him in there. We have a lot of trust in him… the guys around him have a lot of trust in him,” Reid said. Clearly, the locker room believe Moore.

Now, the timing couldn’t be better. The Chiefs are against a struggling (2-4) Las Vegas Raiders team, and their biggest star has regained form. So as Moore steps up again in Week 7, all eyes in Kansas City will be watching to see if the belief pays off.