With each passing week, Kansas City Chiefs fans are gaining a bit more clarity on the status of Josh Simmons, who remains absent from the team while dealing with what's been termed a personal matter. While details remain fuzzy, as they should be for anyone outside of the organization, sources have told ESPN reporter Nate Taylor that Simmons is expected back to the franchise in the "next few weeks."
Simmons has remained away from the Chiefs since Week 6 against the Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium. Shortly before the Chiefs were set to take the field, Simmons was added to the injury report with a description simply stating that it was personal and not actually injury-related. Simmons would go on to miss that game, with reports saying that he was in California instead.
Ever since that moment, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and others have made it clear that they're in communication with Simmons and that no further discussion would be entertained about it in media sessions.
ESPN's Nate Taylor says Josh Simmons is expected back soon with the Chiefs after missing a few games due to a personal matter.
After two games away, however, Reid has a positive update for reporters earlier this week when he said, "Everything is positive. It’s not a negative situation. He’s taking care of family."
Coming into the regular season, no one knew how prescient the Chiefs' decision(s) to give themselves two new starting options at left tackle would turn out to be. The Chiefs first added free-agent tackle Jaylon Moore, who previously played for the San Francisco 49ers behind future Hall of Famer Trent Williams, via a two-year deal worth up to $21 million. Six weeks later, the Chiefs landed Simmons in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs threw Moore into the starting lineup at the last minute against the Lions and never felt a perceivable difference. The offense has been rolling with Moore on the left side, and it's clear the Chiefs gave themselves the security on the field to allow themselves to roll with such unexpected concerns off of it.
Moore is expected to start once again in primetime as the Chiefs host the Washington Commanders in Week 8. The Monday Night Football matchup is the second-to-last game before the Chiefs get a bye in Week 10, with a high-profile game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 9 standing in between. It's possible all parties involved have circled that break at the season's midsection as an appropriate time to reconvene.
There's still no official timeline for Simmons return, but the notion that the rookie might miss the rest of the season is at least off the table, per Taylor. Everyone has remained quiet yet positive, and it feels like Simmons might have the chance to pick up where he left off on the field while hopefully finding peace off of it.