Chiefs’ top draft pick had major injury. Why KC was still comfortable taking him
The Kansas City Chiefs understand that Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons was only available to them at pick 32 in the NFL Draft because of a knee injury.
Simmons, once projected as the potential top left tackle in the class, is still recovering after tearing his patellar tendon in October and subsequent surgery.
So why were the Chiefs comfortable enough with Simmons’ medicals to still take him at the end of the first round?
Chiefs coach Andy Reid spoke about that topic Thursday night, saying team trainer Rick Burkholder had done a bunch of work in person with Simmons. Reid relayed that the left tackle was “in a good place” with his knee and, so far, had “healed well.”
“We’ve got a pretty good idea of where he’s at,” Reid said. “Does he have to go out and do it? Yeah, he’s got to go out and do it.
“But it’s not one of those (injuries) where you’re looking at it going, ‘Oy, it’s a problem — either a bad surgery or he just hasn’t been working it.’ He’s been doing all of the above.”
Reid said Simmons’ specific injury usually required six months of recovery, and the tackle was right about at that time in his rehab.
Simmons shared Thursday night that he was scheduled to see his doctor again soon. In recent weeks, he said he’d been squatting, pushing sleds and running on the treadmill — all to prepare himself to be ready for training camp this summer.
“I’m feeling really good,” Simmons said.
Reid said the Chiefs wouldn’t force things with Simmons. Although rookie minicamp is scheduled for next week, Reid said the team will evaluate how much Simmons can participate in it once he arrives in KC.
Simmons, however, should “definitely” be ready for July’s training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, according to Reid.
“From where we’re sitting,” Reid said, “the experts would tell you that (the knee) looks good.”
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said the team had gone through 3-4 different meetings to evaluate Simmons’ health. He recalled an early conversation with Burkholder, when the trainer shared that Simmons’ knee looked good.
The Chiefs brought Simmons to their facility a few weeks after the Combine, Veach said, to get an additional look. Burkholder told the Chiefs staff recently that Simmons was “well ahead of where he should be” with his recuperation.
“It doesn’t mean he’s going to be out there full tilt for OTAs (in May and June). I think we’ll be smart with it,” Veach said. “But I think when we spoke this morning, there was really strong belief on Rick’s side that for training camp, he should be really good to go. So that’ll be big for us and big for him.”
Reid and Burkholder have a long history of treating players with patellar injuries. On Thursday, Reid referenced former Philadelphia Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter, who missed the 2004 and 2005 seasons after tearing the patellar tendon in his knee.
Buckhalter made a return after that, playing three more years with the Eagles and five more pro seasons overall.
“Rick’s got a pretty good feel on that. Our docs have a good feel on it,” Reid said. “And we thought (Josh’s), it looked like it was a good surgery.”
Reid wasn’t shy about praising Simmons’ ability Thursday, labeling him as a “phenomenal athlete.”
“He would’ve been a top five or top 10 pick,” Reid said, referencing Simmons’ draft position if he weren’t injured. “It’s a position that we can use some good players at.”
Veach said Simmons faced a lot of work ahead, both with learning the Chiefs’ playbook and also completing his rehab.
The team remained confident that the left tackle would thrive in this particular environment.
“We’ve got a great coaching staff, great locker room, great training staff,” Veach said. “So we feel good about what we can get out of him.”
This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 6:15 AM.
