Josh Simmons, the man who was supposed to finally lock down the Kansas City Chiefs’ left tackle position for a decade, is stuck. The team’s medical staff confirmed a herniated, bulging disc in his back, a diagnosis that came after he reported calf discomfort on August 17. Despite attempted treatment and a rigorous return-to-play protocol, his progress has frustratingly plateaued.
Simmons’ Stalled Recovery Doesn’t Pass the Smell Test
According to Rick Burkholder, the Chiefs’ head athletic trainer, Simmons came in on August 17 with calf discomfort, feeling like he “couldn’t post on a single leg” during training camp practices. That same leg was the one previously injured, and after evaluation, the medical staff found the real culprit: a herniated, bulging disc in his back. Now, hearing “back issue” for a big offensive lineman? That’s never good news, but the team initially sounded like they believed he’d be back sooner rather than later with treatment.
But it just hasn’t panned out that way. Simmons tried the treatment, he attempted to ramp back up, but the team’s report is clear: his progress has plateaued. This whole situation just feels off, doesn’t it? Especially when you consider he was supposedly coming off a “ramp up” week where he was practicing daily. Something here just doesn’t quite add up.
The Return of the Left Tackle Nightmare
Set aside the medical mystery for a second, and let’s talk pure football implications. This is a massive problem for the Chiefs. It feels like only a year ago, everyone was breathing a huge sigh of relief. Simmons was supposed to be *the guy*, finally solving the left tackle position for the next ten years. That’s no small feat, given the absolute carousel they’ve had at that spot since 2021, the year they moved on from longtime starter Eric Fisher.
Since Fisher’s departure, eleven different players have taken snaps at left tackle for the Chiefs: Orlando Brown Jr., Joe Thuney, Prince Tega Wanogho, Wanya Morris, Jawaan Taylor, Kingsley Suamataia, D.J. Humphries, Josh Simmons himself, Jaylon Moore, Esa Pole, and Kahlil Benson. Eleven! Over five-plus years, that’s not what you want from a crucial offensive line position. Simmons was supposed to end that seemingly endless cycle. He was the “set it and forget it” kind of talent, so immense and obvious that even old-school Andy Reid didn’t bother trying to manufacture a camp battle. It was Simmons’s job, no looking back.
Until everything, well, changed. Remember last season, when Simmons reportedly left the team the night before the Detroit Lions game, ultimately missing four games? That absence was a hot topic, but it could’ve just been a blip in his career if everything else had gone to plan. It very much has not. Now, with this back issue and stalled progress, the Chiefs are staring down the barrel of that old, familiar left tackle problem all over again.
So, where do the Chiefs go from here? The continued uncertainty surrounding Simmons’s health means that what was supposed to be a solved position is now wide open again. This isn’t just a backache, folks; it’s the potential for a return to that endless cycle at left tackle, a cycle Kansas City fans thought was finally over. The path forward for their offensive line just got a whole lot cloudier, and how they navigate it will be everything for the rest of their season.
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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