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'He's getting the ultimate test' - Patrick Mahomes reveals how one rookie will be prepared for the regular season in the best way

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Justin Churchill | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 8:41 PM ET

When you are drafted to the Kansas City Chiefs, there can be a bit of pressure. You are being drafted to the dynasty, and a team that either plays for or wins the Super Bowl every single year now, it feels like.

You are certainly playing for a team that will at least make it to the AFC Championship game every single season. And, you are playing under Andy Reid and with Patrick Mahomes, which kind of has its own anxiety and pressure added to it. You feel like you have to help the two of them and their legacy.

Then, if you're a wide receiver, you have the fact that Mahomes is throwing you the ball. The Chiefs haven't had the best passing offense in the last few years so being a rookie in an offense as complex as this can be pretty nerve-racking. But to me, the biggest rookie position with the most pressure has to be the offensive line, the left tackle spot, to be exact.

You're protecting Mahomes' left side. You have a say in whether he is getting hurt or not. For Josh Simmons, their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, he has a lot of pressure on him. But, Mahomes knows that what he is seeing every day in practice will only help the rookie.

"Josh [Simmons] is doing a great job, man," Mahomes told reporters on Wednesday during mandatory minicamp. "He's getting healthier and healthier every single day. He's doing a great job of learning. He's getting the ultimate test going against Spags [defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo], and seeing the blitzes that he's going to see, and so, he will continue to get more and more resp but he has done a great job through the process, and I'm excited for him to get even healthier going into training camp."

The Chiefs have struggled to protect Mahomes the last few years. On the left side, it hasn't been the same since Orlando Brown Jr. left for the Cincinnati Bengals, which is crazy because, at the time, everyone thought it could be much better for much cheaper. Now, we see that was not the case. But, the jury is still out on their new left tackle.

Simmons has the potential to be an elite guy at the position in a few years. He is coming off an injury, though, so the expectations aren't too high. He just has to play at a serviceable level for the Chiefs to be in a good spot there in 2025.

And, Mahomes is right, with what he will see every day from Spags, and from guys like Chris Jones, Charles Omenihu, and even George Karlaftis, the guy will only get better.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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