The Kansas City Chiefs' 2025 season opened like a NASCAR race... one under a caution flag. Everyone has been watching, but the engine just isn't humming. The offense is not finding its rhythm, leaving fans searching for a spark.
And that spark might just be wearing number 71. Rookie left tackle Josh Simmons, the team’s $14.68 million first-round investment, is already turning heads. Have you ever watched a kid ride a bike without training wheels for the first time? That wobble, then the sudden balance—like he just figured it out. That’s what Josh Simmons feels like right now in Kansas City.
Simmons is not just holding his own. He’s starting to fly. And if you blink, you might miss the moment he becomes the next great Chiefs lineman. Through two tough losses, his performance is a glaring bright spot.
Simmons’ preseason buzz was no fluke. He immediately looked the part of a franchise left tackle. Scouts raved about his technique and footwork. The expectations were set sky-high for the young Buckeye. He has not only met them but exceeded them early on.
His regular-season debut was a trial by fire. In Week 1, he held his own against Khalil Mack. He allowed some pressure but kept Patrick Mahomes clean. It was a solid, if unspectacular, start for any rookie. Then, he truly arrived in Week 2 against Philadelphia.
On September 14, against the Eagles, Simmons didn’t allow a single pressure in 36 pass-blocking snaps. That’s not just good for a rookie. That’s elite. Besides, Simmons was a fortress on the blindside.
He posted an elite 87.8 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Let’s be real—Kansas City needed this. After last year’s musical chairs at left tackle, Simmons is looking like a stabilizer.
Josh Simmons: A Glimpse of Greatness
Simmons' coaches and teammates have taken notice. The internal confidence in him is growing each day. Center Creed Humphrey praised his mindset and improvement. Head coach Andy Reid, always measured, acknowledged his steady progress. "He's getting better," Reid said after the Eagles game. "He’s had a couple of nice challenges here the last couple of weeks." But Reid knows Simmons is only scratching the surface of his potential.
"There are some things he's got to clean up in some of the detail stuff within the run game and the pass game protection stuff," Reid added. Simmons’ effort is never in question. He missed four snaps in Week 2 due to dehydration. But even there, he flashed. After a Mahomes interception, Simmons ran 40 yards downfield at 18.35 mph to make a touchdown-saving tackle.
Still, he’s a rookie. Simmons' run blocking remains a work in progress. He can refine his technique and add more snap-to-snap power. Once he polishes these areas, his overall impact will skyrocket.
Simmons is on a four-year, $14.68 million deal. That’s cheap for a franchise left tackle. If he keeps trending up, the Chiefs didn’t just draft a starter. They drafted a steal. A cornerstone. A guy who could anchor this line through the rest of Mahomes’ prime. So yeah, the Chiefs are 0-2. But Simmons? He’s already a win. And if he keeps climbing, this offense might just find its rhythm again.