Chiefs Reportedly 'Planning' for Rookie Josh Simmons to Start at LT vs. Chargers

The Kansas City Chiefs are "planning" to start rookie Josh Simmons at left tackle during Week 1 of the 2025 season, Jesse Newell reported Wednesday for The Athletic.

Newell wrote that Simmons "has impressed coaches with his professionalism and work ethic" after returning this summer from the patellar tendon injury that cut short his final college season at Ohio State.

The Chiefs are set to open the 2025 campaign on Sept. 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Simmons told reporters during the NFL scouting combine in March that he was "way ahead of schedule" in his injury recovery.

He was limited for parts of offseason activities, but spent the month leading up to training camp working on rehabbing his knee in Kansas City, according to ESPN's Nate Taylor.

Simmons had been upgraded to full participation by Day 1 of training camp in July, but has spent at least part of each day in camp working with team trainers on his knee, per Taylor.

Despite the ongoing maintenance on his knee, Simmons established himself as an early standout at camp.

"First of all, he's getting a lot of reps, which I think is important for a rookie," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters last Friday when asked about Simmons' progress. "So, he's been in there, consistently, showing up every day, and working, and not taking plays off or any of that. He's a worker. He's willing to do it."

Reid continued, "He's done a nice job with what we've asked him. He's working on all the fundamentals and techniques, so that's a challenge for him."

Newell noted that hand placement is something the Chiefs are particularly watching when it comes to Simmons' fundamentals.

The Chiefs started out last season with a rookie at left tackle by putting Kingsley Suamataia, a second-round pick in the 2024 draft, at the position.

Suamataia was later replaced by Wanya Morris. D.J. Humphries was handed the role ahead of Week 14, and the Chiefs ultimately stuck All-Pro guard Joe Thuney in the position to close out the season.

The instability impacted star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who passed for a career-low 6.8 yards per attempt last season while taking a career-high 36 sacks.

That included a single-game career high of six sacks in the Chiefs' Super Bowl LIV loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, during which Mahomes became the second starting quarterback in Super Bowl history to take 42 dropbacks without facing a single blitz.

Finding a more reliable blindside protector for Mahomes is key to the Chiefs offense's hopes of returning to its previous dominance next season. The pressure will be on Simmons to show that he's regular-season ready if he gets any snaps when the Chiefs open the preseason on Saturday against the Arizona Cardinals.