The Kansas City Chiefs had a rough 2025 season filled with disappointment, including one of their top young players playing just eight games.
The Kansas City Chiefs are ready to prove to everyone that the 2025 season was a fluke but that’s also contingent on the health of their top players.
Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes is progressing well and appears to be on track to be the starting QB for the Chiefs come Week 1, but he’s expected to need a couple of weeks to get back in game shape.
While Mahomes’ injury was the worst of any player on the team, several players dealt with injuries throughout the season, making it difficult to play up to the highest standard. A lot of them came during the second half of the season, but injuries here and there during the first half derailed momentum for a lot of guys.
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy tore his labrum during the first series of the season against the Los Angeles Chargers and missed the next two games before playing through the pain with a brace, but he was ineffective much of the season.
Another massive loss to the Chiefs was rookie left tackle Josh Simmons, who played just eight games due to personal issues and a wrist injury at the end of the season. He played well and kept Mahomes protected, but availability is the best ability.
The skillset is there, though. The 23-year-old moves exceptionally well with quick feet and is terrific in both pass protection and the running game, which promptly puts him on NFL.com’s “All-Under-25 Team.”
“He was remarkably solid in his first few games as a pro, seemingly answering Kansas City's persistent question at left tackle,” Nick Shook wrote Monday. “But after Simmons missed four games because of a ‘family matter,’ a wrist injury ultimately ended his rookie season after just eight contests.
“The health issues will remain a concern, especially when considering the patellar tendon injury that tanked his draft stock, but if Simmons stays active, he’ll own a place on this team at this time next year, too -- and the Chiefs will be glad they took a risk on him with the 32nd pick two Aprils ago.”
Simmons is healthy at the moment and leaned out to about 290 pounds, which is 20 pounds less than his playing weight in 2025. He was dedicated to getting in the best shape of his life and Simmons looked like a beast in OTAs.
Simmons will put together a stellar season if he can stay on the field and take less penalties.
