And just like that, the 2025 season is upon us. But Patrick Mahomes is already back to chasing something. Not records. Not another Super Bowl—well, not just yet. This time, it’s deep balls. The ones that haven’t landed often enough in recent seasons. At the Chiefs’ first practice, Mahomes let one fly to rookie Xavier Worthy. It connected. A small moment, sure. But in Mahomes’ mind, it’s the first of many. “We have to keep doing it,” he told reporters. Now, that’s one heck of a course correction. He is going all the way back to the 2023 season to start the SB LIX’s loss’ revenge tour. A champ’s mindset. After all, he averaged a career-low 6.8 yards per attempt in 2023. “If teams are going to challenge us to throw the ball deep,” he said, “we have to show that we can do that.”

Now, imagine being so good at what you do that you are being PATed. Yeah, reads like patted. But that’s for the Chiefsdom-level appreciation. And guess what? If they want to stay on top, that vertical edge has to come back—because this offense doesn’t run on checkdowns. Nick Bolton, in just four seasons, has racked up an astounding 458 tackles, including three 100+ tackle campaigns. His 2022 season was particularly special – 180 tackles that ranked second-best in the entire NFL. These aren’t just empty numbers either. When the lights shine brightest, Nick bolted the door shut on offenses. So, now he is getting ‘PATed’.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo made it crystal clear how valuable Nick Bolton is during an appearance on the “New Heights“ podcast with Travis and Jason Kelce. “If you’re going to be a multiple defense, that guy in the middle has to be great,“ Spagnuolo emphasized. “I’ve been really lucky. I’ve got Nick now. Anthony Hitchens was like Bolton when I first got here. When I was in New York, I had Antonio Pierce. Antonio Pierce became a head coach in this league.”

That’s some elite company Nick Bolton finds himself in – being compared to Super Bowl-winning defensive leaders and current NFL head coaches. The comparison to Mahomes that Spagnuolo frequently makes – “He’s Patrick Mahomes for us, I’ve said this before“ – goes beyond leadership. It’s about impact. Just as Mahomes processes defenses pre-snap, Bolton diagnoses plays before they develop, directing teammates with the precision of a coach. His film study habits are legendary, often correcting positioning errors by telling teammates, “Move your eyes this way first, then go back that way.”

The Chiefs backed that belief this offseason with a three-year, $45 million extension. The investment makes perfect sense when you see Nick Bolton’s game-changing plays and his growing role as a mentor to Kansas City’s young defensive talent. One was his 36-yard fumble return touchdown in Super Bowl LVII that shifted momentum against Philadelphia. Another was his 13-tackle performance in Super Bowl LVIII that helped seal another championship. Advanced metrics back it up. Bolton leads all NFL linebackers in stuffing runs at or behind the line (“4.7%”). His durability stands out too. He played 98% of snaps in 2022, making him as reliable as he is disruptive.

At 5’11“, 237 pounds, Nick Bolton isn’t the biggest or fastest linebacker, but his instincts and football IQ set him apart. He’s the rare player who makes everyone around him better – a trait he shares with Mahomes. But while franchise cornerstones like Mahomes and Bolton solidify the foundation, others are still fighting just to hang on.

Bailey Zappe faces uphill battle to stick on Chiefs’ final roster!

The Chiefs’ quarterback room is about to get smaller. Bailey Zappe looks like the one the Chiefs will leave out. He signed a “$1.1 million deal” to return this March. Still, the former Western Kentucky star probably won’t make the final roster. He lit up college football in 2021 with 62 touchdowns. But Kansas City plans to carry just two quarterbacks behind Patrick Mahomes. With veteran Gardner Minshew now in the mix, Zappe’s time with the Chiefs appears to be running out.

It’s been a rocky NFL journey for Zappe since the Patriots drafted him in 2022. He’s bounced from New England’s active roster to Kansas City’s practice squad, even getting a brief shot to start in Cleveland last year when their QB went down. But in the cutthroat world of NFL rosters, especially for a team chasing championships like the Chiefs, there’s little room for sentiment. That modest $1.1 million salary won’t be enough to save his spot when Kansas City could use that roster position elsewhere.

After a shaky offensive line gave up 36 sacks on Mahomes last season, the Chiefs are now prioritizing bigger issues. They’ve brought in new tackles Jaylon Moore and Josh Simmons. They’re also getting key receivers Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown back healthy. “It’ll be great to have them out there,” coach Andy Reid said of his receiving corps. “When they were together last year for camp, that was a positive for us.” These moves all point toward a return to the explosive offense we’re used to seeing. Unfortunately for Zappe, carrying a third quarterback just doesn’t fit that championship vision.

As training camp rolls on at Missouri Western, Zappe’s fighting an uphill battle. He knows the system, but that might not be enough. The harsh reality of the NFL is that good players sometimes get squeezed out, especially when you’re playing behind the best quarterback in football. For now, though, Kansas City moves forward, their sights set firmly on another championship run with Mahomes at the helm and Bolton leading the charge on defense. Some stories end to make room for new beginnings.