Key Takeaways:
– Nick Bolton, the Chiefs’ linebacker, opted to wait for the discussion about his contract extension until the end of the 2024 NFL season.
– Despite being projected to earn a four-year, $71.9 million contract, Bolton focused on the team’s goal of becoming the first to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
– After suffering injuries and missing multiple games, Bolton is eager to show his true potential in the 2024 NFL season.
– Chiefs have other significant players that they may also want to extend, further complicating Bolton’s decision.
Nick Bolton, The Patient Player
Since his breakout year in 2022, Nick Bolton, the Kansas City Chiefs linebacker has been making headlines for his impressive sporting prowess and sportsmanship. Currently entering the last year of his rookie deal, he has presented an unusual approach regarding his future with the team.
Nick, a crucial piece of Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive strategy and the team’s “green dot” since 2022, has decided to stay mute on his contract extension until the culmination of the 2024 NFL season.
“I don’t want to talk extension before training camp. I just want to focus on getting through this season,” Bolton remarked while emphasizing the team’s ambition of creating history with three consecutive Super Bowl titles.
Bolton’s Fight Against Injuries
Bolton’s willingness to prioritize team success over anxious contract talks is, in part, backed by his journey of overcoming injuries. He missed multiple games due to a high-ankle sprain and a wrist dislocation during the previous season. Nonetheless, when Bolton returned to the field in December, he was heartily welcomed by the Chiefs’ head coach, Spagnuolo himself.
“In eight games last season, Bolton registered 60 total tackles, 3 passes defensed, and 1 interception. In four playoff games, he added 40 total tackles and 1 pass defensed,” his stats only amplify his sportsmanship. Having returned as fit as a fiddle for the 2024 NFL season, Bolton is eager to let his performance do the talking.
Chiefs’ 2025 Contract Hurdles
However, grateful as the Chiefs are to have Bolton back in the game, they may want to tread cautiously when extending his contract. Apart from assessing Bolton’s post-injury performance, they also have to take into account the contract situations of several other important players.
Along with Bolton, center Creed Humphrey, guard Trey Smith, and tight end Noah Grey are also on the verge of concluding their contracts. Veteran safety Justin Reid will also become a free agent in 2025.
Nevertheless, Bolton already seems prepared for a life-long bond with Chiefs, as he expressed his affinity for Kansas City. “I’ve been in the state of Missouri going on seven years now, so it definitely feels like home,” he stated, adding staying with the Chiefs would be a “dream come true”.
The upcoming 2024 NFL season is sure to be an exciting one, not just for the Chiefs, but for Bolton too. As fans and followers await the action on the field, Bolton’s contract situation remains a story to watch. Only time will tell if this promising player’s patient waiting game will earn him the desired extension and a locker-room home in Kansas City.