I’ve got a question. Why do people seem to be sleeping on Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons? It’s a question that has been bothering me for weeks.
In the lead-up to this year’s NFL Draft, national analysts and members of Chiefs Kingdom alike seemed to cast doubt over Simmons’ long-term future in Kansas City, and mock draft after mock draft linked the Chiefs to an offensive tackle in the first round.
ESPN’s Peter Schrager voiced a take that had been doing the rounds before the draft.
“I’m not sure on Josh Simmons, their pick from a year ago,” Schrager said on his Schrager Hour podcast two weeks ago, while mocking offensive tackle Caleb Lomu to Kansas City with pick 29. Other NFL writers and reporters shared similar thoughts on Simmons, too, and even Chiefs fans expressed their doubts about Simmons, too.
The Chiefs already showed their confidence
Of course, we know the Chiefs didn’t draft Lomu or any other offensive lineman. It’s the clearest possible signal the Chiefs could have sent that they trust Simmons and that they back him to be their starting left tackle of the future.
So, if the Chiefs feel so confident about Simmons, why have there been so many doubts from outside the building about him? I think I know the answer.
The on-field performance tells a different story
The doubts can’t be about Simmons’ playing ability. Simmons allowed just one sack in his first four games as a rookie last season, and his 5.7 percent allowed pressure rate through his first five games ranked fifth-lowest among all left tackles in the NFL.
It’s the kind of quality tackle play the Chiefs had been crying out for and missing in the previous two seasons, and it followed on from a college career that saw Simmons give up only one sack and just four quarterback hits in his two-season, 19-game stint as an Ohio State Buckeye.
Injuries have been a concern, but unfairly so, in my opinion. The knee injury Simmons suffered was definitely serious, and it was the major factor in him sliding out of the top 15 in the 2025 draft and even being available to the Chiefs at pick 32, but I think the danger period has passed.
The surgery Simmons had was a success, and his health status got the tick of approval from Kansas City’s medical team. Simmons was reportedly fastidious in his rehab work prior to his rookie season as well. All that meant Simmons was healthy for training camp, became KC’s starting left tackle early in the preseason, and was healthy and available for week one. There have seemingly been no concerns about his injured knee.
Yes, Simmons missed the last five games after breaking and dislocating his elbow against the Dallas Cowboys, but you can chalk that up to bad luck. Simmons was hurt by his own teammate Kareem Hunt, who crunched his elbow while trying to chip a Cowboys pass rusher Simmons was blocking at the time.
It was the equivalent of Xavier Worthy’s injury after colliding with Travis Kelce in week one. It’s one of those freak things that happen in football that could happen to anyone. Wrong place, wrong time. It says nothing about Simmons being injury-prone, and of course, an elbow injury is completely separate from any ongoing knee problems.
The real issue isn’t football
That leaves just one thing that must be the reason people are doubting Simmons: the four games he missed due to personal reasons. His time away from the team came as a surprise, and for months people have been speculating about why Simmons missed those four games. It needs to stop.
We don’t know the reason, and we might never know—and that’s okay. NFL media and fans are not entitled to that information, nor should they be. Simmons doesn’t owe us anything. We aren’t entitled to know every detail about his personal life just because he plays for our favorite football team.
Simmons does owe the Chiefs themselves an explanation—clearly he’s given one, and clearly the team has accepted it; otherwise, Simmons wouldn’t be on the team or Kansas City would have looked for his replacement.
If the reason Simmons missed time is good enough for the Chiefs, it’s good enough for me. If Kansas City and Simmons have decided not to share the reason for his absence for personal reasons, then I respect that. So, if the Chiefs are willing to understand and accept the situation, why isn’t everyone else?
It’s time to stop doubting Josh Simmons
I think Simmons is unfairly being thought of as a potential weakness or liability when he shouldn’t be. His play on the field has been good so far, the Chiefs just showed that they trust that he’ll be there, and I think his injuries have been unrelated and simply unlucky.
The Chiefs look like they have a great left tackle on their team, and it’s time for people to stop writing him off too soon.
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