Beloved Kansas City Chiefs player Josh Simmons has been out all season due to a personal family issue, and it’s really a mystery just what’s keeping him away. At the start of the season, NFL Network correspondent Ian Rapoport subsequently reported that Simmons was “dealing with a family matter back home in California.”

Simmons hasn’t been at the Kansas City Chiefs facility since. He was out for Sunday’s Week 7 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, too. The Chiefs have kept quiet about the situation, and head coach Andy Reid has told the press on multiple occasions that general manager Brett Veach was working on and handling the Simmons issue.

Josh Simmons Update

Now, Reid has an update on Simmons, and it’s positive. In a press conference on Thursday, October 23, Reid said of Simmons, “Everything is positive. It’s not a negative situation. He’s taking care of it,” as reported by media personality Alex Gold. That’s great news, but it still doesn’t give away the story of what’s going on. But, Simmons deserves his privacy.

It’s worth noting that on Monday, October 20, at the fall NFL league meetings in New York City, Clark Hunt, the 60-year-old billionaire son of Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt who owns the team with three of his siblings and is also the Kansas City CEO, was asked by ESPN NFL reporter Kalyn Kahler “if he could tell us what’s going on with rookie left tackle Josh Simmons.”

“I really can’t comment,” he said, as quoted by Kahler.

Chiefs vs. Commanders Preview

The Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Washington Commanders game in Week 8. It’s Monday Night Football at Arrowhead, and the stars have aligned for a statement night.

Monday’s matchup holds major implications. The Chiefs are playing at home, and the Commanders are limping in. Kansas City opens as heavy favorites, with odds put them at roughly -10.5 to -12.5 points and win-probabilities in the ~80 % range, according to multiple prediction models and SI.

Key players to watch:

• For Kansas City: Patrick Mahomes is back in top tier mode — passing yards stacking up, touchdowns coming, and when he’s hot this offense hums, reports CBS Sports.
• For Washington: If Jayden Daniels sits, then backup Marcus Mariota steps in, but it’s a downgrade. Also, receivers like Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel are questionable with injuries, which magnifies the challenge, adds Odds Shark.

Who Will Win?

Kansas City wins, and convincingly. Expect something like 28-17 or 31-14 in their favor. The Chiefs cover, and the Commanders struggle to manufacture enough offense or stop the Chiefs when it counts. Washington’s only hope is some kind of early flurry or Chiefs slip-up — not likely this game.

If you’re tuning in (or betting), the smart move: back the Chiefs, keep an eye on the total (it could go under if the Chiefs dominate and run clock), and monitor Daniels’ status — his presence would slightly narrow the gap but not turn the tide.

Monday night’s primetime stage is set for Kansas City to make a statement: they’re not just good, they’re back to elite. And the Commanders? This will be one of those nights they’ll want to forget.