The mystery surrounding Kansas City Chiefs rookie offensive lineman Josh Simmons has deepened, as new details raise serious concerns about his sudden disappearance from the team.
According to reports, Simmons — the Chiefs’ 2025 first-round pick out of Ohio State — has now missed multiple practices this week. The team has provided no official explanation for his absence, but longtime Chiefs insider Nate Taylor of ESPN described the situation as “extremely serious” and confirmed it involves “a family matter.”
Taylor added that he is “fearful” about whatever Simmons is going through, saying the 22-year-old left for California on Sunday “at a very unusual time.” As of now, the team reportedly has no timetable for his return.
Reid and Mahomes Maintain Silence
When asked about Simmons’ situation, head coach Andy Reid declined to go into details, telling reporters, “I’m not going to comment on that. Brett Veach is handling everything there, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes also kept things private but said he would be “praying for Josh.” Mahomes added that whatever is happening with his teammate is “something we’ll keep within the family.”
Reid confirmed there is currently no timeline for Simmons to rejoin the team.
Confusion Over the Injury Report
Before the Chiefs’ Sunday night matchup against the Detroit Lions, Simmons was listed as “questionable” on the injury report. Hours before kickoff, his status was downgraded to “out,” but the team clarified that his absence was “not injury-related,” instead citing “personal reasons.”
Simmons had appeared in all five games this season prior to that, following a strong start to his rookie campaign. He previously missed time at Ohio State in 2024 after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon that ended his junior season.
On Kansas City radio station 96.5 The Fan, Nate Taylor hinted that Simmons’ current situation may be connected to a “blip” on the Week 5 injury report before the Chiefs’ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars — when Simmons was listed last-minute with an “illness.”
A Troubling Situation
“I’m fearful because we don’t have all the answers right now,” Taylor said during his radio interview. “That makes the outcome perhaps grim. I can’t imagine what he’s going through, based on what I’ve heard.”
He urged fans not to speculate or judge the player, saying, “This is really difficult for Josh. He loves football, and this isn’t about him not caring about the team.”
“This is extremely serious,” Taylor continued. “If things get resolved, maybe a month from now he’ll be back on the field. If he has a chance to return to normalcy and to football, he will.”
For now, both the Chiefs organization and the Simmons camp remain silent — leaving fans across Kansas City asking the same question: what’s really happening behind the scenes?
