Jul 29, 2026; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Josh Simmons (71) walks down the hill to the practice fields during training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Jul 29, 2026; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Josh Simmons (71) walks down the hill to the practice fields during training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Josh Simmons' timeline gained some clarity on Wednesday. While the Kansas City Chiefs are still holding him out of practice to start a new week of prep, the team's left tackle is on the mend and will return as soon as Thursday for at least some level of practice activity.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid opened his remarks to the press with injury updates and had good news for Simmons, even if an official return date from a back ailment isn't yet available. "Josh [Simmons] won't practice today. He is getting better, but he won't go today. Tomorrow, he's gonna do some stuff. Ready to gonna ease him back in to the next...," said Reid.
Reid never finished that sentence of what is "next", but the mention of Thursday's return at least provides some actual details to what has been a very nebulous injury from the beginning. Simmons first sat out of training camp practice on August 18 and went on to miss the team's final two preseason games. However, all the while, Reid was insistent that the back concern was minor and that the team was not worried about it.
Two weeks after the preseason ended, the Chiefs took the field against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football without Simmons protecting Patrick Mahomes' blindside. Instead, it was rookie free agent Kahlil Benson, a rookie free agent signing who'd never played the position even collegiately at Indiana. The experiment worked well, as Benson has performed admirably in Simmons' absence, but the team's thin at the position, and Simmons would be a major upgrade when healthy.
If Simmons is a limited participant in practice on Thursday, it's possible the Chiefs are ramping him up for a weekend appearance against the Miami Dolphins in Week 3. The team takes to the road for the first time on Sunday after consecutive home games to start the season. If Simmons is unable to go on Sunday, then it's possible that "easing him in" could signal a Week 4 return to face the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. That would give him a chance to face a rival, and the two teams are unexpectedly tied atop the AFC West after two games.
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