‘Stallion’ Nick Bolton scores game-winning TD for KC Chiefs on 86-yard fumble return
Receiver Mecole Hardman joked that his teammate nearly pulled a hamstring. Coach Andy Reid call the rookie “a stallion.” And quarterback Patrick Mahomes said it looked like the linebacker might fall.
No matter how the Chiefs saw it after their 28-24 win over the Broncos on Saturday, there is no question that rookie linebacker Nick Bolton had the biggest play of the game.
The Chiefs trailed 21-20 in the fourth quarter, and the Broncos had moved into the red zone. On the 10th play of a drive that had covered 62 yards, Denver had the ball at the Chiefs’ 9-yard line when quarterback Drew Lock handed off to running back Melvin Gordon.
Chiefs defensive end Melvin Ingram burst around the side untouched and hammered Gordon, who fumbled. Bolton, the former Mizzou star, picked up the ball and slipped a tackle attempt by Lock, another former Missouri Tigers star.
“I was just coming off the edge,” Bolton said, “and coach Spags (defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) called a great blitz. Our D-lineman, Melvin Ingram, went ahead and got vertical penetration, got a TFL (tackle for loss), caused the fumble.
“And from there, I was just trying to score. My teammates gave me some great blocks, and I was just trying to get to the end zone from there.”
Bolton succeeded, and his 86-yard scoop and score was the longest in the NFL this season, ESPN said.
The Chiefs scored a two-point conversion after the touchdown and flipped the script in the game.
“That was a game-changer. I was hoping that he wouldn’t stumble,” Reid said. “Those guys don’t get a chance to run that far, that fast, very often. And he ran it like a stallion. I mean, he took off and looked like a running back there. So I was happy for him.
“He’s had a pretty good rookie year, I’d say, and 17 games to play in. That’s not the easiest thing to do as a rookie, but he’s taking advantage of it.”
Stallion might be a stretch, as Bolton admitted he nearly did fall.
“When I got close to the 50-yard line, I had some different studs in for the (slippery) field, and I slipped a little bit,” Bolton said “At that point. I was trying to get to the end zone, so I was happy to get the touchdown for our team to help us win.”
This story was originally published January 8, 2022 at 6:27 PM.
