Josh Simmons is Chiefs’ silver lining amid Week 11 loss to Broncos by boasting rarified level of success as a rookie
Chiefs LT Josh Simmons is doing something that hasn’t been done by a rookie in the NFL in a septennial.
The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t where they want to be after dropping to a 5-5 record for the 2025 NFL season with the Week 11 loss to the Denver Broncos.
You won’t find anyone on the team pleased with much after the game, but there is one very apparent silver lining in the loss. In his first game back after a four-game absence, Chiefs rookie LT Josh Simmons picked up exactly where he left off while protecting Patrick Mahomes’ blindside.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid spoke about Simmons’ return after the Week 11 loss.
“I thought he did a good job for being off as long as he was and then going against who
he went against,” Reid said. “He did a pretty good job there.”
On Monday, Coach Reid provided a more thorough evaluation and explained what gave him confidence to start Simmons in his return.
“Yeah, well, some of it was where he (Josh Simmons) was physically,” Reid said. “Some of it was where are you mentally, and can you handle where we’re at here four weeks later with what we’re doing? I thought he handled that well as he went through the week. We got in the game, he handled it well, he had a couple of penalties there that he has got to clean up, but that was a pretty big assignment that he had with those two defensive ends, but I thought he did a respectable job there.”
The numbers do an even better job of contextualizing just how good Simmons was in Week 11 and what the performance means for his outlook overall.
Chiefs LT Josh Simmons excels vs. vaunted Broncos pass rush in Week 11
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Simmons has surrendered a 5.4% pressure rate for the 2025 NFL season, the third-lowest mark among left tackles (with a minimum of 200 pass blocks) and the lowest by any rookie left tackle since at least the 2018 NFL season. Simmons didn’t allow a single pressure on 15 pass blocks against Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper. He only allowed one pressure on 13 matchups against Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto, who led the NFL in pressures entering Week 11.
Chiefs rookie LT Josh Simmons’ 2025 NFL season stats
- Pass-blocking snaps: 280
- Pressures: 16
- Sacks: 1
- Penalties: 5
The caveat here is that Simmons has played only six games this season after missing the past four weeks due to a personal matter, but he seemed no worse off in his return, aside from a few penalties. They’ll get that part of it cleaned up with more repetitions and practice. No matter what the future holds for the Chiefs in the remainder of the 2025 NFL season, there are big things ahead for Simmons. Given a full season, there’s no doubt in my mind that All-Pro would be on the table. He’s going to undoubtedly be a big part of the team’s success as they move forward.
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