NFL Players Will Continue Asking About the Real Estate in Kansas City

Baltimore Ravens standout linebacker Matt Judon recently joked about the real estate in Kansas City. He probably won't be the last non-Kansas City Chiefs player to do so.

"Hey, I really want to look into moving to Kansas City. How's the real estate there?" Said no one ever. 

Am I being a little hard on my hometown? Sure. But you get the gist: Kansas City isn't exactly a place outsiders have at the top of their lists when thinking about places to settle down and lay a foundation for the rest of their lives. NFL players seem to be exceptions to that rule, though. Just ask Baltimore Ravens linebacker Matt Judon:

@Mathieu_Era how’s the real estate in KC. Asking for a friend

— Matthew Judon (@man_dammn) July 14, 2020

"Solid. Nice bang for ya buck," Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu responded. Judon, a good player who is playing out the 2020 season on the franchise tag, will be a free agent in 2021. He's almost surely just joking around with Mathieu, who joined the Kansas City Chiefs a year ago. With that said, that seemingly innocent exchange came in the midst of two huge contract extensions being completed. It means something.

Chiefs quarterback and Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes was recently inked to a 10-year extension worth up to $503 million. He's earned every penny and more, and Tucker Franklin of Arrowhead Report recently wrote about how Mahomes actually left some money for a Jones contract to be worked out. Jones knows how critical that was in getting his own deal done, and now the Chiefs have their best player on both offense and defense locked up long-term. 

On It's Always Sunny in Chiefs Kingdom, Taylor Witt and Austin Johnston spent a large chunk of their podcast breaking down the Jones deal. Whether or not the Chiefs are effectively placing themselves in "cap hell" is a popular question being asked these days. Witt also did his best to alleviate those worries. Now, back to the Judon tweet.

Can General Manager Brett Veach realistically continue using trades/free agency to add good-to-great talent to this Chiefs team? Could a player like Judon be in the team's cards over the next few free agency periods? The answer is yes, but it will take a ton of creativity on the Chiefs' behalf. More importantly, it'll require outside players to buy into what the organization is doing. Financial security and winning are two of the most important things to NFL players. Thus far, the Chiefs have been able to provide both — and opponents will start to notice.

Take Sammy Watkins' restructured deal, for example. By lowering the Lizard King's 2020 cap hit by $5 million, Kansas City freed up some much-needed cap space that later came in handy for the Mahomes and Jones extensions. Don't worry: Watkins didn't get the short end of the stick. He still has the potential to earn up to $16 million if he meets his incentive requirements. He got a healthy chunk of dough and another year with the best offense in the NFL. The Chiefs got some cap relief and maintained long-term flexibility. Both sides remained together for the #RunItBack campaign. It was a win-win situation.

Veach is quickly building a reputation as one of the best executives in all of football. The Athletic recently conducted an NFL agent survey (subscription required) and when the question, "Among general managers or front-office leaders, who is the smartest?" rolled around, the two votes Veach received may have actually been selling him short. He's a brilliant mind and takes care of his people. It doesn't matter whether a player is already on the team or not. If you are one of Veach's "guys," he'll make sure you know it. 

Mathieu was brought in as a culture-changer on a three-year, $42 million contract. The Chiefs sent first- and second-round picks to Seattle for defensive end Frank Clark, who was then signed to a $104 million deal. Veach stood by wide receiver Tyreek Hill throughout his off-the-field allegations and troubles. He then rewarded Hill's honesty and performance with a $54 million extension. There's a mutual understanding between the front office and the team that if a player handles his business on and off the field, he will reap the benefits. Winning makes things even sweeter.

The level of respect the Chiefs have around the league is second to none. Mahomes is the face of the NFL and goes about everything in a professional manner. He's surrounded by an exciting core of young players. His head coach is arguably the most player-friendly leader in football. His general manager is aggressive, yet values relationship-building and character along with production. 

Kansas City hasn't always been an ideal landing spot for free agents. But with a championship-winning football team that checks off every box for potential suitors, expect more players to follow in Judon's footsteps. This won't be the last time you see or hear a soon-to-be free agent or disgruntled star inquire about what it's like to be a Chief.