Chiefs’ Nick Bolton on life in KC as he enters contract year: ‘I feel like it’s home’
As he prepares for the 2024 season, linebacker Nick Bolton’s focus is on securing a place in NFL history for himself and the Chiefs as the first three-peat Super Bowl champion.
But he’s also aware that the contract he signed after being the Chiefs’ first pick in the 2021 Draft will expire at the end of the season. Bolton hopes the upcoming season won’t be his last with the Chiefs.
“I think everybody in their contract year has that in the back of their mind,” said Bolton, who played four seasons at Mizzou. “I’ve worked 24 years to get to this point. So it’d be crazy not to say it’s in the back part of your mind. But obviously been here for eight years. I would like to make it 15 (years), if I could. This is a place, I feel like it’s home. Fans, community on both sides man. I love in Kansas City. It feels like home since I got here.”
Whether it’s grocery store run or a trip to Top Golf, Bolton feels the love from fans.
“It’s such a friendly environment. It’s a great place to be,” Bolton added. “Hopefully, in the foreseeable future, I’m gonna get something done man that I could be here for long term, for sure.”
For Bolton, the idea of putting down roots means much more than signing a rich contract. He wants to make an impact in Kansas City. Bolton is one of 10 NFL players who have teamed with Campbell’s Chunky to help fight food insecurity in the cities were they play.
Through its Chunky Sacks Hunger program, Campbell’s donated more than 2 million meals a year ago to people in need across the country. Bolton said it’s an issue close to his heart.
“Campbell’s actually hit me up and wanted me and my mom to do something within the community,” Bolton said in an interview via Campbell’s. “That was just one of those things that affected my family at one point in time. (Going to) food drives, having used food close to expiration dates or maybe be expired just trying to get by.”
Bolton, 24, was happy to join the Campbell’s program, although he noted defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme doesn’t give Chiefs linebackers and opportunity for many sacks.
Through his first three seasons, Bolton has just two sacks.
“I talked to my mom, we wanted to do a couple of things in the community. I feel like this is kind of one of those things to kind of get my foot on the ground,” Bolton said. “And Campbell’s, they’ve been doing it for a very long time and Sacks for Hunger obviously, but with Spags, linebackers don’t get that many sacks. Nickels and corners, but I can contribute a little bit and if we get a positive impact in the community, we want to do that.”
Bolton’s charitable vision
Last fall, Bolton also visited a food bank near GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Helping with food insecurity is just one cause Bolton wants to help in Kansas City.
Bolton’s mother and sister both had cancer and he wants to start a foundation to help those diagnosed with the disease. Bolton said he previously helped with the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which was founded 20 years ago by ESPN and the late basketball coach Jim Valvano.
“Also, my siblings spent some type of form in foster care,” Bolton said. “So it’s another one of the things that I kind of want to start working on and maybe get a foundation for that in the near future for just adopting kids, guys who are heading out of foster care. Finding those guys a home.”
Bolton, who has five siblings, including some who were adopted. He said of those two siblings would have gone to different homes.
“If we didn’t adopt them, one was gonna be on the East Coast and one was gonna be on the West Coast,” Bolton said. “So that was kind of big on my heart. So I want to do that in the near future as well.”
Bolton hopes he can do all of that in the coming years in Kansas City if he stays with the Chiefs.
“It’s definitely home,” Bolton reiterated. “I’ve been here for the longest duration of anywhere I’ve been. So it definitely feels like home.”
