Former Tigers LB Nick Bolton Taking Charge with Kansas City Chiefs
In the 2021 NFL Draft, former Missouri Tigers linebacker Nick Bolton was the first selection made by the defending AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs knew they needed to improve defensively after getting run over 31-9 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV just two months prior and took a chance on the two-time First Team All-SEC defender.
When Kansas City drafted Bolton in the second round, they thought he might be a future leader on their defense. They just didn’t realize how quickly he’d get there.
Now entering his second season with the Chiefs, Bolton’s ready to take on more responsibility and elevate this Kansas City Defense. The ex-Tiger tackling machine has earned the role of on-field play caller this season and will relay calls directly from the coaches to the team. It was a role he took on at times last year, but now it’s his full-time duty and he’s essentially the quarterback of Kansas City’s defense.
Bolton posted 112 total tackles and a fumble recovery in 2021, making the PFWA All-Rookie Team. In year two, he knows it’s not just about his own improvement, but the entire unit’s progress.
“We want to have an attitude. We’re all going to play together,” said Bolton on this Chiefs defense. “We’re young, so we’re not going to be perfect every single play. We can make it up with running around, having fun, speed to the ball, getting a little bit of hands on the ball, [and] creating turnovers.”
The Chiefs have been to three straight conference championships, but are laser focused on repeating their Super Bowl LIV victory. They’ll no doubt have a high-octane offense this year powered by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but will Bolton be able to similarly lead this Kansas City defense? The former Missouri Tiger will need to be a key piece to the puzzle if the Chiefs hope to hoist the Lombardi Trophy again anytime soon.
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