Chiefs' Reid, Mahomes Order Simmons to Leave Team Meeting

Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Josh Simmons was told to leave a team meeting by coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Simmons later apologized for the incident, according to sources who spoke to NFL Network and were cited in reporting by ESPN.

What happened inside the Chiefs' meeting room?

The episode took place Wednesday inside the offense's meeting room, according to multiple sources who witnessed the interaction and spoke to ESPN. Simmons was sitting with his feet up when Reid asked him to put his feet down. The exchange escalated to the point that Reid and Mahomes told Simmons to leave the room, per the sources.

Why was Simmons removed by Reid and Mahomes?

The sources did not detail a prior history of conflict; the account provided to ESPN centers on the feet-up moment and Reid's request that Simmons correct it. Mahomes' involvement alongside Reid in telling Simmons to leave suggests the quarterback, as a team leader, backed the coach's directive in the moment, though ESPN's sourcing does not elaborate on what Mahomes said.

How did Simmons respond afterward?

Simmons later apologized for the situation, according to the sources cited by ESPN. No further detail on the timing or form of the apology — whether to Reid, Mahomes, the broader team, or all three — was included in the reporting.

What is Simmons' roster status now?

One day after the meeting incident, on Thursday, the Chiefs placed Simmons on injured reserve because of a back injury, per ESPN. Simmons, a 2025 first-round draft pick, had been inactive for Kansas City's first five games of the season. ESPN's report describes him as a second-year offensive tackle. The IR move means Simmons is out for a minimum stretch under NFL injured-reserve rules, sidelining a player the Chiefs invested a first-round pick in before he had taken a regular-season snap this year.

By the numbers:

• Draft status: 2025 first-round pick
• Games missed before IR: inactive for the first five games of the season
• Timeline: meeting incident Wednesday; placed on IR the following day, Thursday

What does this reveal about the Chiefs' locker room?

Reid has coached the Chiefs since 2013 and built a reputation for discipline inside meeting rooms, while Mahomes' willingness to jump in alongside his head coach signals the quarterback's standing as a locker-room authority independent of his play on the field. ESPN's sourcing does not indicate any broader rift between Simmons and teammates, and the fact that Simmons apologized — rather than the situation lingering — points toward a resolved, single-incident matter rather than an ongoing dispute, based on what the sources described.

For now, the practical outcome is straightforward: Simmons is on injured reserve with a back injury, the meeting-room incident has been addressed through an apology, and Kansas City moves forward without the rookie tackle as it continues its season, per ESPN's reporting.