The Kansas City Chiefs have placed left tackle Josh Simmons on injured reserve, further delaying his return from a bulging disk in his lower back.
Simmons, the Chiefs' first-round pick in 2025, has not played this season and has been unable to practice with his teammates since Aug. 17.
"Josh worked his tail off. He worked diligently with my staff every day, and he improved to the point where he returned to practice in a limited capacity last week," head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder told reporters Thursday. "However, we feel he plateaued in the recovery process. ... He's just not there yet."
Burkholder said Simmons still doesn't need surgery as part of his recovery. The trainer said an MRI exam confirmed the herniated and bulging disk, which was "higher up than we normally see in our offensive linemen, which complicated the case."
The IR move means the earliest Simmons could play this season is Week 11 at home against the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 22.
On the right side, Jaylon Moore remains in the concussion protocol, which means Joshua Ezeudu is expected to start at that tackle position Sunday night in Seattle.
Since selecting Simmons in the draft, Kansas City has played more games without him (14) than with him (eight). The Chiefs have had Kahlil Benson, an undrafted rookie from Indiana, start in Simmons' absence this season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.