Ahead of the new National Football League season (NFL), tensions have already boiled over in the Kansas City Chiefs' training camp. In a video which has gone viral on social media, first-round pick Josh Simmons and fellow rookie Ashton Gillotte got into a heated scuffle during practice.
Simmons, selected with the final pick of the first round in April, has entered camp under pressure to help solidify a Kansas City offensive line that struggled mightily during the Chiefs' Super Bowl loss last season.
How did Josh Simmons and Ashton Gillotte get into a scuffle?
Simmons, who is a highly touted offensive lineman out of Ohio State, had been engaged in a fierce battle with Gillotte, a rookie defensive lineman, throughout drills. During a 9-on-7 period, things reached a boiling point.
It all began when Simmons delivered a powerful block that knocked Gillotte to the ground in a one-on-one drill.
Later, as the two rookies met again on a running play, tensions resurfaced. After the whistle, Gillotte pulled Simmons’ jersey and gave him a shove prompting a quick right-hand punch from Simmons.
The blow didn’t appear to rattle Gillotte, who retaliated with a punch of his own. Before the fight could get ugly, teammates quickly jumped in to separate the pair. Travis Kelce, dressed in red for the day’s practice, was among those who helped break things up. During the scuffle, Gillotte managed to rip off Simmons’ helmet, leaving the offensive lineman exposed as he calmly returned to his position group for the next drill.
Chiefs looking to put the Super bowl loss behind
Despite the gut-wrenching 40-22 loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl 59, which dashed the Chiefs' shot at the first three-peat in history, Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Travis Kelce, and the crew remain the team to beat in the AFC-and likely the NFL at large.
. Before the Super Bowl, the season felt like a Hollywood script-15 wins for the franchise's best regular-season record, clutch victories in tight playoff games, and total dominance-until that final chapter. Can CHiefs bounce back and reclaim the Super Bowl the answer lies as season progresses.
