Chiefs place left tackle Josh Simmons on IR, expect return no sooner than Week 11

Kansas City Chiefs vice president of sports medicine and performance Rick Burkholder announced that left tackle Josh Simmons will be placed on the Reserve/Inactive list because his back rehabilitation has plateaued. The move means Simmons will miss a minimum of four games and practices, with the earliest possible return set for the Week 11 home game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Burkholder explained that Simmons first reported calf discomfort on Aug. 17, which was later identified as a bulging, herniated disc in his lumbar spine. After an MRI confirmed the injury, the player sought a second opinion from a spine specialist in California, who recommended continued rehabilitation rather than surgery. A follow-up MRI showed improvement, allowing Simmons to practice in a limited capacity last week.

"Josh worked his tail off and has improved, but he’s just not there yet," Burkholder said, noting that the rehabilitation process had stalled as Simmons approached the final stages of recovery.

The decision to place Simmons on IR was made jointly by the player, his agent, the medical staff, head coach Andy Reid and other team officials, allowing him additional time to achieve full function before returning to the demanding duties of an offensive lineman.

"I give a lot of credit to Josh, my doctors, my physicians and my staff for navigating through this injury to the point where surgery is not recommended," Burkholder added.