Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Josh Simmons was reportedly told to leave an offensive meeting by head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes after a disagreement over how he was sitting.
According to ESPN’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport, the incident occurred Wednesday, October 21, one day before the Chiefs placed Simmons on injured reserve because of a back injury.
Multiple sources who witnessed the interaction told the reporters that Simmons had his feet up during the offensive meeting when Reid instructed him to put them down.
Simmons reportedly pushed back, saying he needed to sit that way because his back and hips hurt.
Reid told Simmons that if he was experiencing pain, he should leave the meeting and receive treatment from the team’s athletic trainers.
The exchange continued and disrupted the meeting, according to the report, prompting Mahomes to step in and reinforce Reid’s instructions.
Simmons reportedly left the meeting room upset but remained inside the Chiefs’ facility. Later that day, the offensive tackle apologized to Reid and team leadership, acknowledging that he could have handled the situation better.
Josh Simmons’ Exchange With Andy Reid Came Before Chiefs’ Injured Reserve Decision
The reported incident occurred as Simmons continued recovering from a back injury that has kept him off the field throughout the 2026 season.
The Chiefs selected Simmons in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but the offensive tackle has missed Kansas City’s first five games this season.
Following Wednesday’s meeting, Simmons did not participate in practice. The Chiefs listed his absence on their injury report as “back/not injury related-personal.”
On Thursday, October 22, the team placed Simmons on injured reserve because of a bulging, herniated disk in his lower back.
Chiefs vice president of sports medicine and performance Rick Burkholder addressed the injury at a press conference on Thursday, explaining that Simmons had left calf discomfort after an August 17 training camp practice.
The team ordered an MRI, which revealed the disk problem.
“That disk problem was higher up than what we normally see in most of our offensive linemen, which complicated the case,” Burkholder said.
“The repeat MRI, a few weeks later, showed that the disk had improved, so no surgery was recommended. Josh worked his tail off. He worked diligently with my staff every day. However, we feel he has plateaued in the rehab process. He’s just not there yet.”
Chiefs Trainer Explains Simmons’ Personal Absence and Next Steps in Recovery
Burkholder also addressed why the Chiefs included a personal designation on Simmons’ Wednesday injury report.
According to the team’s head trainer, Kansas City allowed Simmons to take the remainder of Wednesday afternoon off to discuss his treatment options with his family and representative.
Burkholder said everyone involved agreed that placing Simmons on injured reserve was the appropriate decision.
The designation requires Simmons to miss at least four games, ruling him out against the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons.
The earliest Simmons can return is Week 11, when Kansas City hosts the Arizona Cardinals on November 22.
The Chiefs and Simmons are still determining where and how he will continue his rehabilitation.
“I give a lot of credit to Josh, my physicians and my staff for navigating through this injury to the point where surgery is not recommended,” Burkholder said. “He just needs more time to return to full function.”
Josh Simmons’ Chiefs Situation Takes Another Turn After Exchange With Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes