The Kansas City Chiefs kick off the 2026 season with a prime-time matchup on "Monday Night Football" against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium. All eyes will be on Patrick Mahomes, as it will mark his first game back after his torn ACL and LCL, suffered late last season. But with just one week before kickoff, the Chiefs got some bad news on one of Mahomes' key protectors, starting left tackle Josh Simmons.
According to Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star, Simmons isn't expected to play in the Broncos game, with undrafted rookie free agent Kahlil Benson believed to step in as his replacement. More news: Falcons Stun Fans With Week 1 Starting QB Decision Simmons was drafted to be Mahomes' blindside blocker for years to come. A first-round pick in 2025, Simmons had just won a national championship at Ohio State and was viewed as one of the better offensive linemen in his class.
But much like his 2024 season with the Buckeyes, his rookie campaign with the Chiefs was cut short due to injuries. He appeared in just eight games last season with Kansas City, finishing with an overall PFF grade of 62.6 and a pass block grade of 75.4. When he's been out there, he's looked every bit like the first-round talent the Chiefs bet on.
But availability has been the biggest concern, and now he's going to miss the season opener this year. Simmons has been sidelined with a lower back injury that flared up earlier in camp, forcing him to miss multiple practices and the end of preseason. More news: Rams Get Good News on Puka Nacua After Rare Injury More news: NFL Drops Hammer on Browns Player With Season’s Largest Preseason Fine As for Benson, he's also coming off a national title, this time with the Indiana Hoosiers.
He's been a riser throughout camp and had been competing with veteran Jaylon Moore for the starting right tackle job all summer. Now, it's looking like he'll move over to the left side with Moore taking over at RT. With Mahomes coming off the first serious injury of his NFL career, losing your starting left tackle is far from ideal, especially when you consider the Broncos have some of the best pass rushers in the league.
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