Chiefs place left tackle Josh Simmons on injured reserve over back injury
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The gist
The Kansas City Chiefs placed left tackle Josh Simmons on injured reserve after his back rehab plateaued.
He must miss at least four games, thinning the unbeaten Chiefs' line.
Background
Josh Simmons is the Kansas City Chiefs' left tackle and their 2025 first-round pick (No. 32 overall). He has dealt with a bulging herniated disk in his lower back since training camp, and Chiefs vice president of sports medicine Rick Burkholder said the disc was "higher up than we normally see in our offensive linemen, which complicated the case." His status has drawn extra scrutiny because he left the team midseason last year for a month for a "personal" matter before returning in mid-November.
How it unfolded
- 2024Simmons suffered a torn patellar tendon while at Ohio State, in the same leg later affected by the back issue.
- 2025The Chiefs drafted Simmons in the first round, No. 32 overall.
- Aug 17, 2026Simmons reported calf discomfort and struggled to stand on one leg; an MRI at training camp in St. Joseph, Mo. confirmed a bulging herniated disk in his lumbar spine.
- Aug 2026A second opinion from a spine specialist in California recommended rehab over surgery, and a repeat MRI a few weeks later showed the disc had improved.
- Oct 19, 2026Head coach Andy Reid said Simmons "is still probably going to be ramping up as we go."
- Oct 21, 2026Simmons missed practice, listed with both a back injury and "personal" reasons, as the Chiefs prepared for a Sunday night game against the Seattle Seahawks.
- Oct 22, 2026The Chiefs announced Simmons would go on injured reserve; Burkholder said he still does not need surgery and is not eligible to return for at least four games, with a Week 11 game against the Arizona Cardinals the earliest.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Burkholder said Simmons "worked his tail off" and has plateaued in rehab, and that the goal is a return to play at the high level he showed before.
- Caution
- OutKick wrote that whether the issue is injuries, personal matters or character concerns, "Simmons has proven that the Chiefs can't rely on him," and questioned his entire NFL future.
Still unverified
The team gave no further detail on the new "personal" designation attached to Simmons' Wednesday absence; OutKick questioned whether anyone can reasonably assume he will return this season once eligible.