The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t waste time figuring out their offseason priorities because the tape from Super Bowl LIX made it painfully obvious. Patrick Mahomes hit the turf 6 times in that game alone, capping off a season where he was sacked a career-high 36 times. If the Chiefs wanted any shot at keeping Mahomes upright in 2025, locking in their Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith wasn’t optional. At just 26, Smith does more than enforce up front. He led all but three right guards in snaps last season and anchored the trenches when it mattered. His franchise tag locked him in temporarily at $23.4 million, the fourth-highest paycheck on the roster.

But turning that into a multi-year deal wasn’t just about security. It was a looming problem for the franchise. Without a long-term agreement, the Chiefs could’ve tagged Smith again in 2026 for $28.08 million or let him walk into free agency. “Next year, if they tag him again, he gets a 20% raise. That’s 28.08 million next year. Or he becomes a free agent. So, whatever the Chiefs offer him on a long-term deal between now and next Tuesday, July 15, he has to compare it to the bird in the hand,” Mike Florio had said on Pro Football Talk PM. As the deadline approached, the front office sealed its last major offseason task.

The Chiefs have officially locked Smith in with a four-year, $94 million contract extension, sources told ESPN. On Instagram, the team shared, “Trey shared a special moment with his dad after signing his new contract 🥹❤️.” The video captured Smith on the phone, voice heavy with gratitude, “I appreciate everything you and mom did for me to get to this moment. I understand it wouldn’t be possible without y’all’s sacrifice.” That call lasted just 42 seconds, but it summed up a lifetime of work. Smith entered the league in 2021 as part of Kansas City’s first major offensive line rebuild of the Mahomes era. He’s been a pillar of reliability in the trenches, starting 80 of 81 possible games, including all of the Chiefs’ past four postseason runs. And now, he is the highest-paid interior lineman in NFL history, with a staggering $70 million guaranteed.

That journey made his emotional phone call even more powerful. Smith’s father offered a heartfelt reply, “We love you and wanted the very best for you. You were highly motivated and driven and you were dedicated. So I have a lot of respect for what you’ve accomplished in your life and how you let God direct you and guide you on the field and off the field. So you make me very proud. Very thankful that today is culminated to this special rewarding day for you.” The Chiefs know exactly what they’re paying for. Smith, now a first-time Pro Bowler, has started 67 games with more than 1,000 snaps each season since entering the league.

According to Pro Football Focus, among all linemen with at least 2,500 pass-blocking snaps over the past five seasons, Smith is one of only five to allow fewer than 10 total sacks. He’ll now lead a revamped O-line featuring Jaylon Moore and rookie Kingsley Suamataia on the left, All-Pro Creed Humphrey at center, and Jawaan Taylor at right tackle. A much-deserved contract in hand, Smith isn’t just staying in Kansas City. He’s anchoring their future.

Patrick Mahomes’ stamp of approval on Smith’s new deal

The Chiefs’ biggest offseason mission was simple: protect Patrick Mahomes at all costs. It didn’t take long for the MVP quarterback to show his appreciation. Minutes after news broke of Trey Smith’s extension, Mahomes fired off a smiling eyes emoji on X, a subtle but loud endorsement of his guard getting paid. He didn’t stop there. When Smith posted about the deal on Instagram, Mahomes doubled down in the comments: “Yessir!!! 💪🏽💪🏽.” Smith, ever the steady presence, kept his focus. “I leave it to the hands of my agents,” he told FanDuel TV’s Up and Adams.

“Obviously, the front office staff of the Chiefs are elite, and you know, at the end of the day, I just let them take care of it. I just have to focus on being the best version of myself, being the best football player and being prepared for training camp because St. Joe’s is around the corner,” he added. Smith has made a career of consistency and last year was no different. In 2024, he logged 1,115 snaps, allowed zero sacks, and posted an 80.8 run-blocking grade, placing him firmly among the NFL’s top 10 guards. It’s a remarkable rise for a player who slipped to the sixth round in 2021, drafted 226th overall due to medical concerns about recurring blood clots in his lungs that first surfaced in 2018.

Yet, once in Kansas City, Smith became one of the Chiefs’ most reliable players, protecting Mahomes like his livelihood depended on it. Because, in many ways, it does. That connection isn’t just tactical; it’s personal. “There are probably not enough good things I could say about Pat,” Smith shared on the New Rory and Mal podcast in May. “One thing I could say is that he gifted me one of the most valuable possessions, two Rolex watches. He got us a golf cart, a fully tricked-out club cart, all new golf clubs, and Oakley sunglasses. The list goes on and on and on.” Mahomes’ generosity isn’t just about gifts. It’s gratitude. the bond between quarterback and protector is one of the few connections that still feels unshakably real.