Less than two weeks out from their regular season opener against the Denver Broncos on “Monday Night Football,” the Kansas City Chiefs are facing a major question mark on their offensive line. Left tackle Josh Simmons, a critical piece, didn’t hit the practice field on Wednesday, which was the first practice of the week. Honestly, he hasn’t been out there since his injury was first reported during the final week of training camp. That’s a huge deal for a guy whose job is to protect the quarterback’s blind side.
Andy Reid Drops a Clue, But It’s Still Murky
Head coach Andy Reid has kept it pretty tight-lipped about Simmons’ status, but he finally gave the media a little more info on Wednesday. “He had the back checked, and there’s a spot in there that flared up,” Reid said. He added that now they just “have to sit here and wait until that thing calms down.” Simmons has been in there, grinding on rehab and working out, so we’ll just have to “see where it goes.” Hearing “flared up” when it comes to an athlete’s back, especially an offensive lineman, is never easy. You think back to guys like Mitchell Schwartz, the former Chiefs right tackle, who ended up retiring at 31 because of a back injury. Simmons is only 23, so you gotta hope he’s in a much better spot to overcome it, but man, back discomfort for an O-lineman is brutal. Their entire job is to slam into 300-pound defensive linemen 50 to 60 times a game. That’s a rough gig when your back is bothering you.
Who Steps Up? The Chiefs’ O-Line Puzzle
With Simmons sidelined, how the offensive line is gonna shake out is still a mystery to us fans. Reid, though, seems to have a handle on it, telling reporters he’s got “a pretty good idea” of what the starting five will look like. He’s been positive about the other guys, saying “the other guys are doing a nice job in there” and that it was “good to see our guys roll without Josh in there.” He also likes that the “new guys get practice in too.” You gotta love a coach who trusts his depth, but you also know that consistency and chemistry on the O-line are everything, especially going into Week 1.
Beyond Simmons: Other Injury Woes
It’s not just Simmons, either. Left guard Kingsley Suamataia had to leave practice early because of an illness, which is never ideal. And defensive tackle Chris Jones, another absolute cornerstone of that team, missed practice with a back injury of his own. Reid, always the optimist, said about Jones, “He’ll be all right.” We’re all holding our breath until that practice report drops after next Thursday’s practice. Until then, there’s a chance Simmons’ minor back issue is just getting the super-cautious treatment since there’s no game this weekend. But with Week 1 against the Broncos looming, the health of that O-line is everything for their season. It’s gonna be a nail-biter waiting to see who lines up when that Monday Night Football spotlight hits.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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