Bill Belichick on why Chiefs’ deal with Creed Humphrey will help Patrick Mahomes
After center Creed Humphrey signed a contract extension over the weekend, Chiefs guard Trey Smith offered his congratulations and said he was expecting something.
“Proud of you brother! Next meal is on you though!!!” Smith wrote on X.
Humphrey can afford it. The four-year extension is worth $72 million, including $50 million guaranteed.
Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick was on “The Pat McAfee Show” earlier this week and praised the Chiefs for locking up Humphrey.
“That was another good move, I thought, by Kansas City, re-signing the center, Creed Humphrey,” Belichick said. “That kid’s a good young player. He’s got a lot of football left in him. It’s a long-term deal. That center is an important position, especially with a quarterback like Patrick, in terms of not only the cadences, but the Mike (linebacker) points, getting the protection set right. Seeing subtle things that a center can see on the line of scrimmage, about where a blitz might be coming from, or a lineman cheating a certain way. That can help the quarterback out.
“That’s really a big position, and I think a lot of those guys, honestly, are undervalued because of how good they help the other four guys play on the line. A bad center kills the other four linemen. A good center can help those guys play better by making the right calls and doing the right thing.”
Humphrey, 25. has started all 61 regular season and playoff games since the Chiefs selected him in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He chosen for the Pro Bowl in 2022 and 2023.
Belichick said keeping Humphrey will be important for quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ future.
“I thought Humphrey, that was a great signing by Kansas City, especially for the quarterback,” Belichick added. “And there’s nothing that a quarterback hates more than an undependable center. Where’s the ball going and is he going to snap it early, and do we have the right guys blocked and all that? I mean, honestly, that’ll drive a (player) crazy. ....
“When we won the Super Bowl in 2001 we had to bring Mike Compton in (at) center to snap on the shotgun snaps and move (Damien) Woody to guard, just for the security of the quarterback-center exchange on the shotgun snap. The center is an important position. I thought that was a great signing by Kansas City. Humphrey is a good player.”
This story was originally published August 29, 2024 at 12:01 PM.
