Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons remains sidelined with back injury as evaluation continues

Kansas City’s offensive line took another hit in training camp as left tackle Josh Simmons remained sidelined with a back injury on Wednesday. According to Andy Reid, the Chiefs’ head coach, Simmons has missed more than a week of practice after injuring his back and is now being evaluated.

The situation matters immediately because the left tackle spot is the centerpiece of the protection plan. In most weeks, that alignment is tasked with handling the defense’s most disruptive edge threats, whether through pass protection assignments or run-game leverage responsibilities. Even when a team has capable backups, continuity at tackle is difficult to replicate on short notice.

Reid’s comments also suggest the Chiefs are still in the “medical evaluation” stage rather than a defined return timeline. Missing over a week of practice can carry a second-order effect beyond simply having fewer reps: it can disrupt the timing between the tackle and the interior line, as well as the communication that helps coordinate protections across the front when protections get adjusted at the line of scrimmage.

The Chiefs’ response to the absence, while not detailed in the report, will likely revolve around who gets the majority of first-team work at left tackle. In camp, the coaching staff typically prioritizes reps that preserve the functional roles within the five-man group. That means the next player in the rotation will not only be judged on technique, but also on whether he can fit into the unit’s calls and matchups as the week unfolds.

This also has broader implications for Kansas City’s offensive identity as training camp progresses. When a key lineman is out, play-calling can become more conservative even if the team remains competitive. Protecting the quarterback is rarely a single-player task, but the tackle position is where schemes either hold up or strain, especially against pressure-heavy fronts.

Simmons’ back injury is also worth monitoring from a workload standpoint. Back issues can be particularly sensitive to practice volume, and the transition from “evaluate and manage” to “return and build reps” is often gradual. If the team sees any lingering limitations, it could continue to limit his contact or practice snaps, affecting how much the offense can lean on him as camp moves deeper into the preseason period.

For now, the clearest update is that Kansas City is still evaluating Simmons and that he is not back with the group. The next meaningful checkpoint will be whether the Chiefs can get him back onto the practice field in any capacity, and if so, how quickly the staff is willing to scale up work for a lineman who has already missed multiple weeks of normal practice tempo.