Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid has delivered a pivotal, yet non-committal, update regarding the status of rookie left tackle Josh Simmons ahead of the team’s crucial AFC West showdown against the Denver Broncos this Sunday.
While Reid confirmed that Simmons, the Chiefs’ first-round pick who has missed four games since October 12th for “personal reasons” (later specified as “taking care of family”), has returned to the team facility, he stopped short of naming him the immediate starter.
🏈 Wait-and-See Approach Rocks Starting Lineup
Reid’s comments on Monday indicate a “wait-and-see” approach, signaling a potential position battle that sends ripples through Kansas City’s offensive line stability.
“I think what we’ll do is just see where we’re at here,” Reid told reporters. “We know we’ve got a good player in there now (in Jaylon Moore) and we know what Josh is capable of and all that. So we’ll just see where we’re at when they get back.”
This statement suggests that Jaylon Moore, who stepped in for Simmons and has performed “respectably” during the rookie’s absence (a period where the Chiefs went 3-1), has earned consideration to hold onto the starting left tackle job for the time being. Simmons is expected to return to practice on Wednesday.
📊 The Stakes: A Critical AFC West Clash
Simmons’ availability is a major factor in what is arguably the most important game of the Chiefs’ season to date.
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Current Standings: The Chiefs are 5-4, sitting 2 1/2 games behind the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos (8-2).
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Playoff Implications: According to a statistical projection model from The Athletic, a Chiefs win against the Broncos would boost their odds of winning the division to 38 percent. A loss, however, would send those chances plummeting to a mere 7 percent, and their chances of missing the playoffs altogether rise to 39 percent.
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Performance Gap: The Chiefs struggled significantly with pass protection in their Week 9 loss to the Buffalo Bills, pressuring Patrick Mahomes on a staggering 52.6% of his dropbacks, an increase of +14.3% compared to their pressure rate in any other matchup against the Chiefs since 2020. Simmons’ return offers a potential boost against a formidable Denver front.
Simmons’ return to practice this week will be intensely scrutinized as the Chiefs look to stabilize the blindside for Patrick Mahomes and keep their division title hopes alive. The Chiefs will visit the Broncos on Sunday for the critical matchup.