Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid sent Chiefs offensive tackle Josh Simmons out of a team meeting on Wednesday, a day before Kansas City put him on injured reserve, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport reported.
What Happened in the Meeting
Simmons was sitting with his feet up in the offense’s meeting room when Reid asked him to put them down, according to sources who saw it. Simmons told Reid he had to sit that way because his back and hips were aching.
Reid told him to get treatment from the athletic trainers if he was in pain. The back-and-forth went on and held up the meeting until Mahomes backed his coach and told Simmons to leave and go get treatment.
Simmons left the room but stayed in the building. Later that day, he apologized to Reid and the team’s leadership and said he could have handled the situation better, according to the report.
A Herniated Disk in His Lower Back
Simmons missed practice on Wednesday. The Chiefs’ injury report listed the reason as “back/not injury related-personal.”
On Thursday, the team placed him on injured reserve because of a bulging, herniated disk in his lower back. Rick Burkholder, the Chiefs’ vice president of sports medicine and performance, told reporters that the personal tag gave Simmons time to talk with his family and his representatives about the next steps in his rehab.
The problem started in August, when Simmons felt discomfort in one of his calves. The team’s trainers thought it was coming from his back, and an MRI showed a bulging disk. After getting several opinions, he went with rehab instead of surgery. He returned to practice after the Chiefs’ Week 5 bye, when another MRI showed the disk had improved, but he was still in pain.
He’ll miss at least four games. The earliest he can come back is Nov. 22, when Kansas City hosts the Arizona Cardinals.
A Rough Start in Kansas City
The Chiefs took Simmons out of Ohio State with the 32nd and final pick of the first round in the 2025 NFL Draft. At 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, he has impressed his teammates with his strength and athleticism.
Staying on the field has been the hard part. He was inactive for Kansas City’s first five games this season and has played in eight of 22 possible games since he arrived. As a rookie, he missed Weeks 6 through 9 for personal reasons involving his family. Then he dislocated and fractured his wrist against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving and needed surgery, which ended his season.
Undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson has been protecting Mahomes’ blind side at left tackle this year and is expected to stay there.
Chiefs vs. Seahawks on Sunday Night Football
The Chiefs play the Seattle Seahawks on the road on Sunday night. They’ll be without right tackle Jaylon Moore, who has a concussion, so Joshua Ezeudu will start in his place. Wide receiver Rashee Rice and running back Brashard Smith are also out.
Mahomes was on this week’s injury report with a knee issue, but he practiced fully all week and has no game designation, according to the team.
Travis Kelce, who was limited in practice this week with an ankle injury, also has no game designation and is expected to play. He needs 35 receiving yards to pass Tony Gonzalez for the most career receiving yards by a tight end, postseason included, and can do it in Seattle.