Tag: Nick Bolton

Chiefs LB Nick Bolton describes George Kittle’s impact: ‘He’s a huge matchup problem’

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton describes George Kittle’s impact: ‘He’s a huge matchup problem’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton spoke to the media on Friday, revealing his thoughts on San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle.

“He’s a huge matchup problem,” said Bolton. “He’s bigger than most safeties and faster than most linebackers.”

The Chiefs last faced off against Kittle and the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, where the defense held the Pro Bowler below his typical production. Kittle only managed two catches for 4 yards and left momentarily with an injury in the Kansas City victory.

“We have to mix our matchups up on him,” said Bolton, “Put some hands on him when we can, disrupt his timing, and hopefully can frustrate him a little bit as the game progresses, but I think it’s going to be different matchups, different guys get on him a little bit, try to rough him up when we can, and then ultimately just make them make tight throws and live to play another down.”

The Chiefs’ defense has held opponents late in games to close victories, contributing to the undefeated start. Bolton has 38 tackles heading into Week 7 feeling healthier after the bye week.

Final score: Chiefs remain undefeated, secure 26-13 win over Saints

The Kansas City #Chiefs are 5-0 after defeating the New Orleans #Saints 26-13 on “Monday Night Football.”

The Kansas City Chiefs kept their perfect season alive in Week 5 after defeating the New Orleans Saints 26-13 on “Monday Night Football.”

Though the two-score victory was a success for the defending Super Bowl champions heading into their bye week, quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ imperfect performance is sure to be a storyline this week.

Mahomes completed 28 of his 39 passes for 331 yards, but threw an interception and failed to score a touchdown against New Orleans.

Instead of relying on Mahomes to score points, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid gave the ball to rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy and veteran running back Kareem Hunt in the red zone to lift Kansas City to victory.

 

On defense, the Chiefs were led by third-year safety Bryan Cook and linebacker Nick Bolton in the win. Cook intercepted Saints quarterback Derek Carr on New Orleans’ first possession, and Bolton recorded 11 combined tackles.

Fans in Kansas City will have to wait until October 20 to see the Chiefs back in action, when the defending champions face the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Week 7.

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo praises linebacker’s resilience: ‘He’s got such great football instincts’

Kansas City #Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo praises Nick Bolton’s resilience: ‘He’s got such great football instincts’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are still riding high from their clutch victory last Sunday night over the Atlanta Falcons. Veteran players made plays on defense, halting a potential comeback drive and keeping the other Chiefs undefeated.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke with reporters on Thursday about linebacker Nick Bolton’s impact on the unit.

“Yeah, it was great to see Nick (Bolton) make that last tackle, I mean, well, you all know, he gutted it out. His back was bothering (him), and he went back in,” said Spagnuolo. “And, thank God we got guys that can go in when Nick’s not in there and still function the same way. I think that’s huge. I mean, we all learned that last year, right when Dru (Tranquil) had to take over. But when you lose that guy in the middle, it’s like losing the quarterback, right? And even if it’s for three plays, if you don’t have somebody that can go in there, that everybody feels comfortable with, it gets tough.

Bolton returned from the injury just in time to make the game-saving tackle on Bijan Robinson. The clutch performance was another reminder that Bolton is valuable to the defense.

“Nick just coming back and doing what he did,” said Spagnuolo. “I think we all know this about Nick: He’s got such great football instincts. He feels things, and he studies the game, so he knows ahead of time when teams are going to do certain things. But, I thought he played great.”

Bolton will look to recover quickly before the Chiefs make the West Coast trip for this Sunday’s AFC West matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Key things to know about Chargers’ Week 4 opponent: Chiefs

Here are some important things to know about the Chiefs ahead of the Week 4 matchup with the Chargers.

The Chargers are back at home to face the Chiefs on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 1:25 p.m. PT.

To get you prepped for the Week 4 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.

Patrick hasn’t been perfect

It’s safe to say that it’s been a disappointing start for the best player in the NFL. Despite the 3-0 start for the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes hasn’t been as much of a factor. Through three games, Mahomes has thrown for 659 yards with five touchdowns to four interceptions. He’s also rushed for 49 yards.

Rice is nice

Rashee Rice has established himself as Mahomes’ top target. The second-year player has 24 catches for 288 yards and two scores. He currently has the second-most receiving yards in the NFL. In two of three games, Rice surpassed the 100-yard mark.

What’s going on with Kelce?

After asserting himself as one of the league’s premier tight ends, Travis Kelce hasn’t played to that level so far this season. In three games, Kelce has eight receptions for 69 yards. He has yet to find the end zone. Most of Kelce’s production has gone to Rice and first-round pick Xavier Worthy.

Checking in on Spags

The numbers don’t truly reflect how defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolu’s defense has played. While the Chiefs’ defense is 15th in points per game and 25th in yards per game, Spagnuolu has put his guys in position to make timely plays to succeed. Kansas City has done a good job limiting their opponents’ top running backs. Derrick Henry averaged 3.5 yards per carry. Zack Moss had 2.8 YPC. Bijan Robinson only rushed for 1.9 YPC.

Look out for…

Chris Jones. Jones will present a problem for the Chargers’ interior offensive line. Arguably one of the best defensive tackles, Jones has 13 quarterback pressures, nine hurries and two sacks.

Final score: Chiefs defeat Falcons 22-17 in Week 3

The Kansas City #Chiefs defeated the Atlanta #Falcons 22-17 on ‘Sunday Night Football’ in Week 3.

The Kansas City Chiefs secured their third victory of the 2024 regular season on Sunday Night Football, defeating the Atlanta Falcons 22-17.

Both teams fought hard throughout the game, but Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City’s offense couldn’t quite get into gear against Atlanta’s impressive secondary.

With star running back Isiah Pacheco out due to an injury he sustained against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, rookie rusher Carson Steele led the Chiefs on the ground with 17 carries for 72 yards.

Kansas City’s defense showed up when it mattered most. Defensive back Chamarri Conner and linebacker Nick Bolton put together fantastic performances, with 10 and 8 combined tackles respectively.

https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1838056190254752069

Bolton ultimately secured the win for Kansas City late in the fourth quarter when he tackled Bijan Robinson behind the line of scrimmage on the Falcons’ final offensive play.

Now 3-0, the Chiefs will look ahead to their Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, who lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-10 earlier on Sunday.

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo on veterans being rusty in Week 1: ‘Those guys hadn’t played’

Kansas City #Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo on veterans being rusty in Week 1: ‘Those guys hadn’t played’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs defense battled during their Week 1 victory, as starters Chris Jones, Justin Reid, and Nick Bolton emerged strong after missing significant time due to injuries in the preseason.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was concerned heading into last week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens because his veteran starters were not available during training camp. On Thursday, he addressed his thoughts on their performance in last week’s victory with reporters.

“I mean, playing 80 plays is a lot of plays. Now, that’s partly our fault, right? We can get off the field on a couple of third downs, but I thought it got tough at the end of the game because of that.” said Spagnuolo. “those guys hadn’t played, so that’s a different kind of conditioning. It’s different than getting on a bike or running gasses and whatnot.”

The Chiefs’ defense could not slow Lamar Jackson’s mobility as he still managed a 100-yard rushing performance. The unit pulled out the win after a suspenseful finish at the back of the goal line.

“I think if you ask those guys, they’d tell you that they were gutting it out at the end, and fortunately for us. I mean, listen, I know the foot and the inches the game is, and all that, but what I look at is, thank God,” said Spagnuolo. “I mean, Nick (Bolton) could have been closer to that, but thank God he got there when he did to at least push him out enough that we got the black shoe on the white back in there.”

The players should be a little more up to speed after returning to regular reps this week ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Chiefs LB Nick Bolton was mic’d up during crucial play vs. Ravens

Check out this video of #Chiefs LB Nick Bolton mic’d up during Kansas City’s win over the Baltimore #Ravens last week.

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton has already been part of two Super Bowl victories in his career and will help his team in its effort to win a third consecutive championship this season.

A 2021 draft pick from Missouri, Bolton has been productive with the Chiefs, logging 359 combined tackles and 2 sacks since his start in the NFL.

One of the most impactful players on Kansas City’s defense, the standout linebacker was mic’d up when he made another tackle in a key moment against the Baltimore Ravens last week.

Check out this video of Bolton hyping himself up for a huge play in the red zone that could have led to a Ravens score and threatened the Chiefs’ chances at victory.

At the end of the play, Bolton exclaims “That’s game!” which is something Kansas City’s fans can look forward to hearing in the future as the Chiefs continue working towards their ultimate goal of a Super Bowl three-peat.

The season continues for Kansas City on Sunday when the Chiefs play the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 action.

Chiefs LB Nick Bolton discusses his return from injury, preparing for Week 1 vs. Ravens

Kansas City #Chiefs LB Nick Bolton discusses his return from injury, preparing for Week 1 vs. Baltimore #Ravens | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are a little over a week away from starting the regular season at home against the Baltimore Ravens. Injuries have kept many starters out of training camp and the preseason, but most are expected to be ready for Week 1.

Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton has battled various injuries over the past year, including training camp and missing the preseason. He spoke with reporters on Tuesday about his recovery and plans for the regular season opener vs. Baltimore.

“Yeah, man. I think the whole thing, training camp and preseason. Just kind of getting out there and just going through my mechanics, I think that is kind of huge.” said Bolton. “Especially (in the) preseason and our defense, it’s a lot of communication and getting guys on the same page. I definitely missed that aspect of it. I think I’ve done a great job of kind of just getting in where I can. Making my calls and making my checks and going through the mental part of the game.”

Bolton missed time last season due to injuries and is focused on returning to his dominant play and durability in 2022. He is ready for the season regardless of his limited time on the field recently.

“How can I get (myself) prepared for Week 1? I will continue to do that and stay a little bit late,” said Bolton. “I’ve talked to (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Steve) Spags (Spagnuolo) a little bit on the side and talked to the guys who have been playing and learn from them as well as we go.”

Bolton was a notable Pro Bowl snub from the 2022 season. He recorded two sacks, 180 total tackles, two interceptions, three passes, and one forced fumble. He was second in the NFL in combined and solo tackles.

Veteran Chiefs linebacker comments on the signing of wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster

Kansas City #Chiefs LB Drue Tranquill comments on the signing of wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster | @EdEastonJr

The news broke early Monday morning that the Kansas City Chiefs had agreed to terms on a deal to sign wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill spoke with reporters on Monday after practice about his thoughts on the signing of Smith-Schuster.

“Well, Nick (Bolton) was saying he was getting treatment on the table today, and he’s like, that voice sounds so familiar. And he looked up, and JuJu (Smith-Schuster) is like, What’s up, brother?” said Tranquill. “So I look forward to meeting JuJu and getting after it. I hear he’s a great player. He and Pat (Patrick Mahomes) have good chemistry, and I think he missed four or five games. He almost had 1,000 yards for the team a few years ago. So he’ll be a key addition for us and help us.”

Smith-Schuster was a significant part of the Chiefs’ offense in 2022, finishing the year with 78 receptions for 933 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He was recently released by the New England Patriots after spending 2023 with them and missing the postseason.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid gives an update on Kadarius Toney after leaving Wednesday’s practice

Kansas City #Chiefs HC Andy Reid gives an update on Kadarius Toney after leaving Wednesday’s practice | @EdEastonJr

The injury bug continues to haunt the Kansas City Chiefs as more players are forced to leave practice early.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed Wednesday’s injuries to Nick Bolton and Kadarius Toney. Bolton suffered what is believed to be a minor elbow injury, while Toney left after hurting his ankle. Reid detailed the wide receivers’ situation and the possibility of missing valuable practice reps while speaking with reporters.

“Well, listen, I mean, you want to be there every day, and so anytime you miss, especially during install days, you’re missing a load there,” said Reid. “So, he’s got to take care of what he’s got and get himself back out there.”

Toney missed most of training camp last year due to knee surgery and dealt with various ailments during the season. Reid recalled walking over to him after he initially suffered the injury, but he was unsure of the severity.

“Yeah, at that time, I didn’t know he was banged up, but I was just, let’s keep rolling. He had a play before that; he went up to get it,” said Reid. “I think that’s probably where he got hurt, but I didn’t know that then. But just stay on top of it. Just keep squeezing.”

Toney is competing for a spot on the talented and crowded wide receiver depth chart that has recently seen the emergence of Nikko Remigio in training camp.