rr CONTROVERSY ALL-NFL: Kansas City Chiefs rookie Joshua Simmons becomes the center of attention as public attention focuses more on his mysterious whereabouts than his health — A worrying consequence of the 24-hour news era that has made the public ‘dehumanized’?

The Josh Simmons saga began on October 6, when the Kansas City Chiefs added him to the injury report (illness) shortly before their Monday Night Football matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite the designation, Simmons played in the game. The following week, he was again a late addition to the injury report (Not Injury Related — Personal) ahead of the Lions game, and reports indicated he would not suit up. Speculation exploded after reports surfaced that he’d flown home to California — possibly without the team’s foreknowledge. As we stand today, not much else is known about what precipitated Simmons’ absence or when the situation might be resolved.

Even with no new information, Kansas City media has remained steadfast in their pursuit of an update, at times prompting visible frustration from Andy Reid. In Tuesday’s presser, Reid offered this: “As far as Josh goes, I don’t have any updates for you,” he said. “Veach is handling everything there. We’ll just move on with that.”

It’s unclear whether Reid was signaling a shift in team philosophy or nudging local media to leave well enough alone. At any rate, this tracks with Reid’s usual approach to player absences, whether due to injury, holdouts, or contract negotiations. Though if Reid is honest with himself, he likely understands the media is simply doing their job in trying to understand such a curious case.

Fans may want answers on Josh Simmons, but his privacy matters more than public curiosity.

While the media has a responsibility to fairly and accurately report on NFL players on and off the field, the reaction from fans over the past few weeks has been confounding. All across social media, fans have all but declared the right to information. Some have gone so far as to trade hypotheses on what they think is really going on with Simmons.

With so much unknown, wild theories and demands for updates are insensitive at best and toxic at worst. Players are trading their services as professional athletes for pay, but access to their personal lives isn’t part of their professional contracts with the league or their social contracts with NFL fanbases. There’s a deeper culture issue at play, and it reflects a broader sense of ownership and entitlement that underscores modern NFL fandom.

I’m not here to disparage fans. Most of us mean well, even in our curiosity. I just think there’s a real cost to the pressure this conversation may be placing on Simmons and his loved ones (remember, this is reportedly a family situation).

Juegos familiares

Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton opened up about how social media harmed his mental health during his time in New England. “I know my time in New England, while I was there, the media used to try to beat up on me a little bit,” Thornton said. “So I remember just not having the best game of my career, being a young player and going to Twitter, seeing the media just beating you up, beating you up, beating you up.” And that was solely about football. Now imagine you’re exposed to conversations about your own private matter, unrelated to football, on social media. It would likely toll even heavier on a younger player just starting his journey in the NFL.

The inconvenient truth is that fans simply aren’t owed explanations. The contractual obligations of NFL players do not extend to their personal lives, especially when you consider that this is a matter of hardship. I’m not here to preach or unduly moralize the issue, but I believe the focus for fans ought to be patience and empathy for a young football player who’s clearly navigating something deeply personal. This situation will play out and may eventually provide the intimate details both the media and fans are seeking at the moment.

Ultimately, what matters is Josh Simmons’ welfare — physically, emotionally, and spiritually — apart from football. We’d all certainly love to see him back on the gridiron, picking up where he left off, but it’s okay to give him the space he needs to deal with his situation. Football comes second, and well-reasoned people understand that.