Patrick Mahomes says former Ohio State star has a chance to be ‘one of the best there is’ at crucial position for the Chiefs
Quite the praise for the former Buckeye who is set to be a Day 1 starter for Kansas City.
Protecting Patrick Mahomes is mission No. 1 for the Kansas City Chiefs, and they weren’t as good as they would have liked in that area last year. As a result, the Chiefs turned to former Ohio State star Josh Simmons to help keep their MVP upright on game day.
Simmons went No. 32 overall to the Chiefs in April after spending two years in Columbus. The former San Diego State transfer likely wouldn’t have been available for Kansas City to select if not for the torn patella tendon he suffered against the Oregon Ducks early last season.
Some say everything happens for a reason, and now Simmons has the job of protecting the player widely regarded as the best quarterback in the NFL. Mahomes himself isn’t shy about the potential he sees in the former Buckeye.
“He’s just a dog,” Mahomes said via Kay Adams on Monday afternoon. “At the end of the day, he’s obviously working through being an NFL pro and becoming a veteran. But when it comes to pass blocking and run blocking, he can get the job done. That’s where it all starts.”
Simmons made his NFL debut over the weekend, his first game action since the injury at Ohio State. The Buckeye product played two series for the Chiefs and didn’t allow a single pressure in his seven pass-blocking reps. It was as clean a debut as Kansas City could have hoped for—especially considering Simmons faced former Ohio State linebacker Baron Browning multiple times.
Patrick Mahomes with sky-high praise for Josh Simmons
“The sky is the limit. He has a chance to be one of the best there is at that left tackle position,” Mahomes said on Monday. “But he has to go out there and prove that in the regular season.”
Simmons started all 19 games he played for the Buckeyes, improving steadily until he became a first-round pick. The talented offensive lineman has a very high ceiling—something his star quarterback has been quick to recognize.
Ohio State Buckeyes News
Ohio State quarterback battle update comes with one player starting to look the part of a starter for the Buckeyes
Ohio State will have a quarterback decision before long with Texas right around the corner.
