Nick Bolton’s football path in Missouri just picked up another honor.
The Chiefs linebacker, who spent three seasons at the University of Missouri before becoming a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, was surprised at an OTA practice earlier this month when Andy Reid delivered the news: Bolton is headed to the University of Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame.
Reid broke the announcement in front of a group of Chiefs players, leaning into his own connection to the school before turning the spotlight on Bolton.
“You guys know I’m a Missouri Tiger at heart,” Reid said to a circle of Chiefs players. “I had a chance to coach there … and we’ve got a couple of Missouri Tigers here.
But we’ve got one that’s real, real famous right now - real famous, and not only for his play here with the Chiefs, but also what he did at the University of Missouri, which are great things. … And we know him as kind of a team guy.
“This is Nick Bolton, right? We know him as a team guy, the ultimate team guy.
But today, today you’re gonna get an individual award. Today you’re going into the University of Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame.”
Bolton’s Missouri résumé backs it up. In 35 games over three seasons, he piled up 224 tackles, including 16.5 for loss and 4.0 sacks. He also earned first-team All-SEC honors in both 2019 and 2020.
The moment clearly caught Bolton off guard, but the linebacker handled it the way he usually does - quietly and with gratitude.
“It’s just an honor,” Bolton said. “The state, the city, from Columbia all the way to Kansas City, man, it’s kind of been my home, my peace.
A lot of friends, a lot of memories. Hope we continue to make them, man.
So, so proud of y’all guys, man. Y’all helped me get to this and helped me be who I am as well.
So M-I-Z.”
Bolton has already secured his future in Kansas City, too. Last offseason, he signed a three-year, $45 million contract extension that keeps him with the Chiefs through the 2027 season.
And the praise for him hasn’t been limited to the locker room. During last year’s training camp, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo made clear how central Bolton is to what the Chiefs want to do on defense.
“He’s just about everything,” Spagnuolo said. “He’s Patrick Mahomes for us (the defense). I’ve said this before, and we’re pretty multiple defensively, so if we don’t have that guy it gets really challenging.
“Back when we didn’t know we were getting Nick, I had to - in my mind, I was preparing, if we don’t have Nick, what do we do? It’s just not the same. So thank God he’s here.”
The University of Missouri typically holds its Hall of Fame ceremony for the newest class sometime in September.
In Other News...
Former Chiefs Lineman Jumps Into WNBA Firestorm With Blunt Take
The aftermath of Caitlin Clarks latest run-in with physical play has spilled well beyond the WNBA court, and former Chiefs lineman Geoff Schwartz made it clear he was not interested in the softer readings of what happened. The incident drew immediate attention around Indiana and across the league, with Clark at the center of another high-profile contact play that quickly became a bigger conversation than the game itself.
Schwartz pushed back publicly on those defending Alyssa Thomas and, in his view, trying to recast the moment in a more favorable light. For a league already under intense scrutiny whenever Clark is involved in a collision or a contentious whistle, the reaction from a former NFL player added another layer to an argument that does not seem close to cooling off. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs First Round Picks Are Already Headed In Very Different Directions
The Chiefs first-round class has already taken on two very different early shapes as OTAs and minicamp wind down. Peter Woods has drawn steady notice inside the building for the way he moves and carries himself, with coaches and veterans taking to his athleticism and professionalism, while the team also sees a path for him to chip in on the defensive line in a rotational role.
Mansoor Delane, meanwhile, still looks like part of the cornerback picture once camp opens, but his spring work was interrupted enough to leave the competition around him in flux. With Kansas City expecting a real battle at corner, every rep matters, and Woods fast start on one side of the ball and Delanes abbreviated spring on the other have already nudged the conversation in a couple of different directions. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Fans May Not Like Where This Linebacker Battle Is Heading
The Chiefs are still sorting out one of their quieter but important defensive questions heading into 2026, and it starts with the strongside linebacker spot left open after Leo Chenal signed with the Washington Commanders. It is the kind of job that can get overlooked in the spring, but for Kansas City it matters because the player there has to handle both the physical run fit and the moving parts that come with the role in Steve Spagnuolos defense.
Jeffrey Bassa is in the mix, but his profile points more naturally toward weakside linebacker, which leaves the Chiefs weighing how best to use him while keeping the SAM spot covered. That is why camp will be worth watching closely, especially with rookie Mason Thomas possibly getting a look there in certain packages and other internal options still on the board. [Read more 🡒]