Rookie Josh Simmons made his Kansas City Chiefs debut on Friday night on the road in Brazil. It was a difficult assignment with the left tackle attempting to adjust to a difficult offense while dealing with incredibly high fan expectations. One game in, and it appears the franchise has found a steal at the bottom of 2025’s first round. It is important to note that Simmons was far but perfect but was consistently capable and flashed a bright future.

One key penalty and two missed assignments can be pointed out as clear blemishes on Simmons’ debut. However, the lasting takeaway was how well Simmons folded into the KC offense, giving Mahomes time while being a capable run blocker. Health questions were what forced the tackle deep into the first round, not a lack of talent.

Chiefs Rookie Tackle Josh Simmons Enjoys Impressive Debut Despite Frustrating Divisional Loss

This was on display Friday, with Simmons often looking like one of the better players on the field. It was an effort that was helped by how frustrating Jawaan Taylor continues to be on the right side. Simmons’ mistakes can be shrugged off as a rookie who is still experiencing growing pains in game one. For Taylor, there is no longer a legitimate excuse for all of the self-imposed penalties and mistakes. It is fair to wonder if we could soon see Jaylon Moore joining Taylor in the lineup.

Regardless, it was a strong debut for Simmons and a positive sign for the Chiefs, even in a loss. What Kansas City fans have learned is that if Mahomes is healthy, the season is going to end in the Super Bowl. The only two times this didn’t end in a victory for the dynastic franchise were due to Mahomes never being given a chance.

Both Tampa Bay and Philadelphia tormented Kansas City’s offensive line and left the legendary quarterback zero chance of competing. With this in mind, it is incredibly important to have a level of belief that this has changed from a season ago. Simmons gives fans reason to believe that the unit is going to get consistently better.

If Taylor doesn’t turn the corner, you can put Moore into the lineup and already have stalwarts Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. Simmons gives fans a reason to believe the biggest question mark is already solidified despite the loss, handing the Chiefs a bright future throughout the season. This isn’t to suggest there won’t be growing pains or expected rookie moments. Rather, focus on the positives of how capable Simmons looks and what it means long-term.

Simmons was an undeniable steal and yet another example of an incredibly savvy KC front office. While Brett Veach and Andy Reid are understandably frustrated after the Week 1 loss, it isn’t all bad news. Left tackle stability is the most elusive offensive line answer, and Simmons has handed the Chiefs reason to believe they have found it in the rookie. A great start for what fans can now believe is a long-term answer at a vital position.