Challenges Ahead for Kansas City Chiefs Amid Josh Simmons Dispute

The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Josh Simmons in 2025, aiming for him to be their starting left tackle. However, Simmons’s tenure might end before completing his second NFL season.

The 23-year-old clashed with head coach Andy Reid before a game against the Seattle Seahawks. Both Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes advised Simmons to exit a team meeting. Following this incident, Simmons was placed on injured reserve due to a back issue.

“Simmons was sitting with his feet up when Reid requested he lower them,” reported Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo from NFL Network. “Simmons insisted his aching back and hips required that position,” according to witnesses.

Reid suggested treatment from athletic trainers if Simmons was in genuine pain. The exchange disrupted the meeting until Mahomes echoed Reid’s sentiment, prompting Simmons to leave the room. However, he remained in the building.

Beyond his dispute with the team’s leadership, Simmons’s availability remains a concern. He has missed 15 of 23 games since his 32nd overall draft selection two seasons ago.

Ian Rapoport expressed skepticism about Simmons’s future with the Chiefs in a conversation with ESPN’s Peter Schrager, emphasizing the importance of player reliability in protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

In Simmons’s absence, Kahlil Benson, an undrafted free agent, has assumed the starting role. Over six games, Benson has excelled, allowing only 16 pressures and eight hurries on 374 offensive snaps without surrendering a sack, as noted by Pro Football Focus.