- Oct 16, 2026
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Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons will miss the entire 2026 season after the team placed him on injured reserve Thursday. Chiefs Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder announced the move, citing a bulging disc in Simmons' lower back.
Simmons first reported discomfort Aug. 17 in his calf, the same leg in which he suffered a torn patellar tendon at Ohio State in 2024. An MRI confirmed the disc issue, which Burkholder noted was higher than typically seen in offensive linemen. Simmons practiced on a restricted basis last week but plateaued in his rehabilitation and was not cleared for competition.
"Josh worked his tail off," Burkholder said. No surgery is currently scheduled; the goal is additional rehabilitation to return to his previous level.
Simmons, the No. 32 overall selection in the 2025 draft, has appeared in eight career games. Undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson has started all five games at left tackle in 2026.
Source: ProFootballTalk - Thu Oct 22, 1:45 PM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).