Chiefs take another free agent off the market, signing linebacker Nick Bolton

Blair Kerkhoff, The Kansas City Star on Mar 9, 2025

Published in Football

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As the Chiefs prepared to play in the most recent Super Bowl, linebacker and upcoming free agent Nick Bolton expressed his desire to remain in Kansas City.

After all, he’d been here in the area for seven seasons, including three with the Missouri Tigers.

“It feels like home,” Bolton said. “The Chiefs welcomed me with open arms as a young 18-year old with short hair, no facial hair, let me go through growing pains and find out my own identity.”

Bolton, 25, will stay home now, too, as he and the Chiefs have agreed to a new contract. The figures from Ian Rapoport of NFL.com: three years for $45 million, with $30 million guaranteed.

Bolton, a second-round draft pick in 2021, is the Chiefs’ defensive signal-caller. He’s started 53 of his 57 games and 12 of 13 playoff games. He’s appeared in three Super Bowls, with two victories.

Bolton has recorded more than 100 tackles in three of his four seasons, missing that mark only in 2023, when he sat nine games with a wrist injury.

Last season, Bolton started 16 games in the regular season and recorded a career-best three sacks.

His biggest play in a Chiefs uniform came in Super Bowl LVII, when he returned a fumble by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts for a touchdown.

The signing continues for the Chiefs’ busy offseason. Earlier they placed the franchise tag on guard Trey Smith and signed wide receiver Hollywood Brown to a 1-year deal.

Also, the Chiefs traded guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

____