Josh Simmons' future with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs suddenly looks uncertain
A troubling report has cast serious doubt over Josh Simmons' future in Kansas City after a controversial incident involving Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
The future of Josh Simmons with the Kansas City Chiefs is beginning to fill with uncertainty. Renowned NFL insider Ian Rapoport stated this Tuesday that he does not know if the second-year left tackle will play again for the franchise, or even if he will get another opportunity to wear the Kansas City uniform.
The comments come just days after Rapoport revealed that Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes ejected Simmons from a team meeting, an episode that once again cast doubt on his situation within the organization. The information came to light hours before the loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
During his appearance on Big Day with Peter Schrager on ESPN , Rapoport explained what happened.
“So the gist of the report was this, something I reported with Mike Garafolo on Sunday. As you mentioned, Josh Simmons was asked to leave a team meeting by Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. It involved having his feet up on the desk. He said he needed to because of his back. He’s going through rehab, and they said, ‘Well, just get out of here and go rehab.’
“He did not handle it well. He went and apologized after. Then he was placed on injured reserve,” Rapoport recounted.
However, the most striking part came when he spoke about the offensive lineman’s outlook.
“And there are a lot of questions about Josh Simmons, who is as talented a left tackle as you could possibly get. He is a stud as a player. I don’t know if he plays for the Chiefs again. I don’t know when he plays for the Chiefs again. There’s nothing more important than protecting Patrick Mahomes. You have to believe in the person doing it, and until that happens, I don’t know that he’s out there,” Rapoport said.
Rapoport’s statements sparked a wave of speculation among fans, with theories ranging from a possible definitive rupture between Simmons and the franchise to the idea that the team itself leaked the information. None of those hypotheses have been confirmed.
The incident with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes
According to the report by Rapoport and Mike Garafolo for ESPN, Simmons attended the offensive group meeting on Wednesday with his feet on the desk, just one day before being placed on the injured reserve list.
Andy Reid asked him to put his feet down, but the player replied that he was dealing with discomfort in his back and hips. The coach told him to go see the medical staff, though the conversation continued until Patrick Mahomes intervened and repeated the order.
Simmons left the meeting visibly upset, though he remained at the team facilities. Hours later he returned to apologize to Reid and the locker-room leaders, acknowledging that he could have handled the situation better.
The tackle has been dealing with a disc protrusion in his lower back since August, and the Chiefs decided to place him on injured reserve after his rehabilitation process stopped showing progress.
Head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder stated that the decision was strictly medical and had the backing of Simmons himself, his agent, Andy Reid, and general manager Brett Veach .
After the loss to Seattle, Reid also tried to downplay the incident.
“I’ve said so much on him. Rick’s talked about him, this and that. Things happen. That’s no reason he’s been put on IR. He’s got a bad back. He’s got to get that worked out. But that’s the main thing. I’ll leave it at that,” Reid said.
Simmons’ career in Kansas City has been marked by injuries.
The tackle started the first five games of his rookie season in 2025 before missing four contests due to a family situation. After returning, he suffered a fracture and dislocation in his left wrist during the Thanksgiving game against the Dallas Cowboys , an injury that ended his campaign.
So far, Simmons has played in only eight of the 22 possible games with the Chiefs, all as a starter during the 2025 season .
Kansas City selected him with the 32nd overall pick in the 2025 Draft , trusting that he would become the blind-side protector for Patrick Mahomes. However, between injuries and now a controversial disciplinary episode, his future with the franchise looks more uncertain than ever.
