KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons spent last offseason rehabbing from a knee injury. He says he’s spent most of this offseason gaining strength in the weight room.That sure seemed apparent when Simmons spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon following the team’s first day of mandatory minicamp.Simmons, the team’s 2025 first-round pick and starting left tackle, looked noticeably more muscular and toned while wearing a cutoff shirt during Tuesday’s media session.
Here's a comparison of Chiefs LT Josh Simmons from Nov. 19 last year (after he returned to team from family absence) to today (June 9). Simmons said his bigger frame is side effect of working out every day. Says he's around 285-290 pounds now and hopes to get to 300 for Week 1. pic.twitter.com/JEcFrgSXb6
— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) June 9, 2026“Just tried to get more strong,” Simmons said with a smile, when asked about his physique.Right now, Simmons says he weighs between 285 and 290 pounds. His goal is to be at 300 for the team’s first snap in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14.It might be a tougher target for him to hit compared with other NFL left tackles. When he spoke to reporters Tuesday, Simmons seemed to nearly display six-pack abs through the red compression shirt he wore.In other words: He doesn’t have an extra 20 pounds sitting around his midsection that might be present with most offensive linemen.Simmons had to deal with a different injury recovery this past season, dislocating and fracturing his wrist during the Chiefs’ Thanksgiving game against the Dallas Cowboys. That ailment required surgery and also ended his 2025 campaign.The good news for him, though, is that this setback didn’t impact his last few months. He said one of the biggest differences this offseason is not having to worry about a full-fledged rehab as he had with his knee before last season.“I can actually get on the field, get in the film room,” Simmons said, “and just pick at that more than just being in the training room.”He said goals for this year include being more dependable snap to snap. Some of that work includes making all of his movements look the same on each down, whether that’s repeating techniques or using persistent hand placements against opposing edge rushers.And while Simmons said he “wasn’t livid at” his overall effort last season, he also saw plenty of room for improvement.“I wasn’t as consistent as I wanted to be. I think a lot of people could see that,” Simmons said. “So that’s probably just something I’m aiming at right now.”One other transition has been working with new Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Simmons said on a recent video with O-line analyst Brandon Thorn that Bieniemy had been harping on small details that could make him a better player.“I’d say it’s more repetition, patterns,” Simmons said of working with Bieniemy. “If you build that habit, it’s just going to show up. It can’t not show up on Sundays, so that’s what I try to do.”Bieniemy is difficult to miss during Chiefs practices, as his loud voice often echoes across the field while he corrects players after mistakes.Simmons said he’s already learned that Bieniemy is “gonna bring it” each day during drills.“I’m glad he’s in the room,” Simmons said, “because we definitely feed off it.”Here are a few other notes from Tuesday’s practice open to reporters:• Quarterback Patrick Mahomes continued to participate in seven-on-seven drills but not with full-team run-throughs. That’s similar to the over the last two weeks during organized team activities.Mahomes is roughly six months removed from surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL he suffered in his left knee. He has stated multiple times this offseason that his personal goal is to return to play Week 1 against the Broncos.• Rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane had no helmet and did not participate in practice Tuesday, which oftentimes signals an injury. Chiefs coach Andy Reid is set to talk to reporters again Thursday.• Undrafted free agent right tackle Kahlil Benson was a practice standout, with Chiefs coaches appearing to be high on him. Benson started for national champion Indiana last season and signed with the Chiefs after impressing as a tryout player during rookie minicamp in April. Veteran Jaylon Moore and second-year player Esa Pole return as the top candidates for the starting right tackle job.• Second-year cornerback Nohl Williams had a pass breakup and an interception during drills. Williams said his pick came after he saw receiver Xavier Worthy come across the formation and diagnosed that he could squeeze inside with no Chiefs wideout threatening his responsibility in the flat.“It’s a good play, but on to the next,” Williams said after Tuesday’s practice. “Gotta do it again. You’re only as good as your last.”• Andrew Armstrong had a sideline touchdown catch that drew a loud shout-out from Mahomes. The second-year receiver, whom the Chiefs signed to a reserve contract in January, is a 2025 undrafted free agent out of Arkansas who’ll be worth watching in training camp; he spent time with Miami and Detroit last season but didn’t play in a game.• Chiefs cornerback and recent signing L’Jarius Sneed was at practice in street clothes. Sneed, who rejoined the team on a one-year deal announced by the team Tuesday, was a 2020 fourth-round pick of the Chiefs and won two Super Bowls during his previous stint with the team from 2020 to 2023.
