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Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Josh Simmons (71) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Sink or Swim, Chiefs Ready to Baptize OL's Left Side

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Zak Gilbert | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 5:00 PM ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Josh Simmons not only attacked his rehab after patellar-tendon surgery ended his college career last October, he also attacked training camp with a surprising competitiveness. So, on Friday in his first NFL game, don’t expect a passive performance.

“ I think we just let him go,” head coach Andy Reid said Friday, “get him out here, let him get this experience going forward. This group’s got two good defensive ends, and so it’ll be a nice challenge for him.

"I told you after training camp, my hat goes off to the kid. He didn’t miss a day, from the time he started in the OTAs throughout this camp, where he’s tried to bear down. There’ll be some things in there, some hiccups in there, I’m sure, but he sure is willing to play.”

Those defensive ends are Chargers edge rushers Tuli Tuipulotu and nine-time Pro Bowler Khalil Mack. The Chiefs along with a worldwide audience watching on YouTube should find out in a hurry whether Kansas City has solved the left-tackle issues that plagued the team all of 2024.

But Reid is taking the under-promise, over-deliver route with regard to Simmons.

“I’ll probably be saying this every week through the season here,” Reid said, “but it’s his first year, so there are going to be things that he hasn’t seen before, and he’s got to fight through that. But he’s a talented kid and he’s willing – he wants to do well, and he has worked very hard. He’s worked very hard to get himself into this position right here to be the starter.”

Kingsley Suamataia

The starter next to him is also new – at least new to his position. Kingsley Suamataia wore Simmons’ shoes a year ago this week when he started the season-opener as the Chiefs’ rookie left tackle. Benched after two games, Suamataia has shifted to left guard.

The Chiefs actually projected that shift at the end of last season, and gave Suamataia 91 percent of their offensive snaps at left guard in the meaningless Week 18 season finale. Kansas City had already wrapped up the AFC’s No. 1 seed and rested many of its starters. The Broncos won, 38-0.

“I know Kinglsey has worked very hard this offseason,” Reid added. “He feels comfortable in there at that spot, but I’ll tell you it’s new and there’s going to be things in there.”

Reid said he believes the move will literally allow Suamataia to use both his ears, and communication with both Simmons and All-Pro center Creed Humphrey will benefit the second-year lineman.

“He seems to be working well with Creed and Josh but, again, this is a good defense, one of the top defenses in the league last year,” Reid added. “And now they’ve got to step into that and play good football. And so that’s what we’re going to practice each week here, and hopefully the continuity continues to grow there with the three of them.”

NFL's best scoring defense in 2024

The Chargers last season allowed the fewest points per game (17.7). They were 11th in fewest yards per game (324.4) and tied for sixth with 46 sacks. Five of those sacks belonged to Joey Bosa, released in a salary-cap move by the Chargers this past March.

Tulipulotu, whose older brother Marlon is on the Chiefs' practice squad, led the team with 8½ sacks in 2024, while Mack and Bud Dupree each had six.