Chiefs placing Josh Simmons on IR after LT resurfaced at practice, say he needs more time to 'return to full function'
Patrick Mahomes will have to keep playing without his expected blindside protector for a while longer. In the lead-up to a Week 7 Sunday Night Football" road game against the Seattle Seahawks, the 5-0 Kansas City Chiefs are placing left tackle Josh Simmons on injured reserve, Rick Burkholder announced on Thursday.
Burkholder, the team's vice president of sports medicine and performance, provided reporters with a detailed timeline of Simmons' bulging herniated disc in his lumbar spine, a back injury that's kept the second-year pro sidelined all season.
In the process, Burkholder, now in his 14th season with the Chiefs, explained that, while Simmons returned to practice in a limited capacity last week, Kansas City's medical staff didn't deem the 2025 No. 32 overall pick ready for game action.
We feel that he's plateaued in the rehab process as he's trying to get to the final steps of recovery with return to competition, and he's just not there yet," Burkholder said. After discussion with Josh yesterday, we gave him some time to talk with his family and his representatives to investigate next steps as he goes through this process."
That's why Simmons was listed with both personal" and back" next to his name on the team's injury report after not practicing on Wednesday, Burkholder clarified.
Simmons was allowed the day off to congregate with his family and agent. Burkholder said everyone, including Simmons and head coach Andy Reid, agreed that Simmons should be put on IR to give him more time to return to full function."
At this point, Simmons' back injury still doesn't require surgery, according to Burkholder.
#Chiefs: Josh Simmons is going to the IR pic.twitter.com/ZrQoxSoD6E
- McKenzie Nelson (@McKenzieMNelson) October 22, 2026
Burkholder said Simmons came to him with calf discomfort on Aug. 17. Back then, the Ohio State product expressed that he couldn't post on a single leg in training camp practices."
The leg in question was the same one on which he suffered a season-ending knee injury that required surgery during his final go-around with the Buckeyes.
He was evaluated by our physicians, who thankfully suspected a low back injury instead of a lower leg or knee ailment," Burkholder noted Thursday.
The MRI confirmed Simmons' bulging herniated disc.
That disc problem was higher up than what we normally see in our offensive linemen, which complicated the case," Burkholder added.
Rick Burkholder said Josh Simmons took the rest of yesterday off, which was why he was listed as personal on the Chiefs' injury report, after a discussion where everyone agreed he needed to be placed on IR to give himself more time in his rehab.
- Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) October 22, 2026
Per usual, the Chiefs recommended a second opinion. Simmons' team picked a spine specialist in California that the organization had worked with before. He was recommended for rehab and, notably, not surgery. Another MRI a few weeks later showed that the disc had improved, Burkholder said.
Throughout this process, we've had frequent communication with the second opinion, with our doctors and Josh and his agent," Burkholder continued. Josh worked his tail off. He worked diligently with my staff every day."
Now the earliest the 23-year-old Simmons can make his 2026 debut is Week 11, due to his IR designation, which requires him to miss a minimum of four games.
The Chiefs host the Arizona Cardinals that week. In the meantime, they have to play the Seahawks on the road, at the Denver Broncos, a home game against the New York Jets and an away contest versus the Atlanta Falcons.
During Simmons' latest absence, the Chiefs have relied on former undrafted free agent Kahlil Benson.
A season removed from helping Indiana win the national title, he turned heads during Chiefs camp and earned the opportunity to start in Simmons' stead. That role came with immense responsibility, considering Mahomes was coming off a torn ACL.
Albeit imperfect, Benson still hasn't allowed a sack, per Pro Football Focus. Plus, he's part of a Kansas City o-line that's paved the way for a rushing attack that features running back Kenneth Walker III, who leads the NFL with 665 yards on the ground this season.
What's concerning, though, is Simmons' availability. After missing a chunk of his final season at Ohio State, he played only eight games as a rookie for the Chiefs last season.
Simmons was out four games because of an undisclosed family matter and another five after undergoing surgery on his left wrist, which he injured in a Thanksgiving loss to the Dallas Cowboys.