Mahomes Addresses Simmons Meeting Report

Patrick Mahomes addressed a report stating that Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons was removed from a team meeting shortly before being placed on injured reserve.

ESPN and NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo broke the news early on Sunday. They reported that head coach Andy Reid and Mahomes told Simmons to leave the room. The team made the roster move the following day.

Simmons has managed a back injury since mid-August. Through his first one and a half years with the Chiefs, he has played in only eight of 23 possible games. His current stint on injured reserve extends his absence record to at least eight of the first 26 available games.

Mahomes spoke to reporters on Wednesday. This was his first media availability since a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football. He stated that the report did not bother him because he stays focused on the team environment.

"Stuff like that doesn’t really bother me," Mahomes said. "Because I’m so in the moment and in the team. When you’re in this building, you don’t even really hear stuff like that unless (Chiefs Vice President of Football Communications Brad Gee) tells you that stuff."

The quarterback acknowledged the need for difficult dialogues within the organization. He noted that the team has completed those talks and is moving in a positive direction. "We’ve had the right conversations now," Mahomes said. "We’re moving in the right direction. You have to have hard conversations at some point and I think we’ve had those."

Mahomes emphasized the importance of keeping internal discussions private. He noted that Coach Andy Reid has long preached open communication within the facility. The team aims to ensure that personnel issues remain between the players and the staff before they reach the public.