The Kansas City Chiefs just dropped some gut-wrenching news: first-round offensive tackle Josh Simmons, who hasn’t played a single snap all season, is officially heading to injured reserve because his back injury recovery has “plateaued.” This isn’t just a bump in the road; it’s a brutal reality check for an undefeated team.
A Brutal Blow to KC’s Offensive Line Plans
According to ESPN’s Nate Taylor, the Chiefs’ head trainer, Rick Burkholder, revealed Simmons has a bulging disc in his lower back and simply isn’t progressing in his rehab. Burkholder was pretty blunt about it, saying, “Josh worked his tail off & diligent every day. However, we feel he’s plateaued in the rehab process. He’s just not there yet.” Ouch. This is a massive hit because Simmons was pegged as the Chiefs’ starting left tackle, the guy meant to anchor their offensive line. Instead, he’s been out all year, and now he’s officially sidelined for the foreseeable future. That means Khalil Benson is staying put as the team’s starting left tackle, a role Simmons was supposed to take over.
Undefeated, But Not Untouched
The wildest part? The Chiefs are 5-0, one of only three undefeated teams left in the NFL. They’ve been rolling despite already dealing with significant injury issues on offense, like Rashee Rice being banged up and missing time, and Tyquan Thornton being done for the entire year. Now add their first-round tackle to the list of serious concerns. While this back injury reportedly won’t require surgery, Simmons is still going to miss at least four more games and can’t return until Week 11 when they face the Arizona Cardinals in late November. It’s a huge piece of news for their offense, especially with our Seattle Seahawks coming up in Week 7.
This Simmons news is tough for Kansas City, no doubt. They’re still flying high, but an injury like this, especially to a guy who was meant to be a cornerstone, tests even the deepest rosters. We’ll see how Benson holds up and how this impacts the Chiefs’ dominant start as the season barrels towards late November and Simmons’ earliest possible return.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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