Kansas City’s Week 2 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts comes with at least one important question hanging over the Chiefs’ offensive line: how long will Josh Simmons be out?
Simmons, the young left tackle, did not play in Kansas City’s 31-10 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, and the team has offered little clarity about the injury that kept him sidelined. That uncertainty got a little more defined on Sunday, when Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that Simmons is “week-to-week” because of a back injury.
"Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Simmons is “week-to-week,” due to the back injury. He has gotten a second opinion from a back specialist. Simmons is in the facility on a daily basis, we’re told, getting rehab on the injury and attending meetings," Florio wrote.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has already said there is no timetable for Simmons’ return. Reid also said the medical staff would "go back and reevaluate" the injury.
That still leaves the situation cloudy, but the week-to-week label at least points toward a short-term absence rather than a longer stint. If Kansas City had moved Simmons to injured reserve, he would have been forced to miss at least four games, so the team’s decision not to do that suggests there’s hope he could be back within the next couple of weeks.
Kansas City handled the first game without him just fine. Undrafted offensive tackle Kahlil Benson stepped in for Simmons and delivered a strong performance in what looked like a real prove-it opportunity.
The Chiefs’ opener also featured a big night from free agent addition Kenneth Walker III, who made his Kansas City debut count with 173 yards in the blowout win.
There are other injury concerns to watch as Week 2 approaches. Defensive back Chamarri Conner was ruled out on Friday with a knee injury, and rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane, the team’s first-round pick, was listed as questionable.
In Other News...
Arrowhead Opener Comes With A Chiefs Tribute Fans Wont Want To Miss
Sunday Night Football gives the Chiefs a stage right away, and the Week 1 opener against the Indianapolis Colts at Arrowhead is packed with the kind of game-day buildup Kansas City fans have come to expect. Gates will open early, parking details have been laid out for the crowd, and the stadium will be geared for a long evening of pregame entertainment before kickoff. Even the practical stuff is front and center, with cashless concessions and ticket options part of the routine now, along with a weather forecast that should help set the tone for the first home game of the season.
The bigger draw, though, is the tribute woven into the night. Derrick Johnson will be inducted into the Chiefs Ring of Honor, giving the opener an added layer beyond the matchup itself and putting one of the franchises most respected defenders in the spotlight in front of a home crowd that knows what he meant to the organization. For a fan base that treats Arrowhead as more than just a stadium, Week 1 is shaping up as part kickoff, part celebration, and part reminder of the standard the Chiefs have built around their home field. [Read more 🡒]
NFL Sends Chiefs Fans A Clear Message On That Mahomes Hit
Patrick Mahomes took a shot around the head and neck after getting rid of a short throw against Denver, and the play quickly became one of the moments Chiefs fans were watching most closely after the game. The NFL has now reviewed the hit from Broncos edge rusher Nik Bonitto and chose not to issue a fine, determining the contact was legal under its standards for roughing the passer.
The league did fine Chiefs guard Trey Smith and Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton for separate infractions from the same game, but the Mahomes play was the one that drew the most attention in Kansas City. For the Chiefs, the ruling leaves the original call and the interpretation of the hit intact, even if plenty of fans will still see it as one of those borderline moments that tends to linger long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
NBC Is Leaning Into Chiefs Hate Before Sunday Night
NBC Sports is clearly treating Chiefs-Colts on Sunday night as more than just another prime-time matchup, using the stage to play up the conversation that has followed Kansas City through its recent run. The promotional video set to air before kickoff leans into the teams profile, with comedian Nikki Glaser riffing on the Chiefs recent history and the way fans around the league have reacted to their success.
The clip also folds in Taylor Swift, whose presence around the franchise has become part of the wider NFL pop-culture backdrop, with her song Ready for It? underneath Glasers commentary. In the video, she wears a Chiefs jersey marked Taylors husband on the back and zeroes in on the comeback angle and the reaction it tends to draw, another reminder that when Kansas City gets the national spotlight, the conversation rarely stays on the field for long. [Read more 🡒]