Nick Bolton Praised for Consistent Toughness: 'Pillar of This Defense'

There was no greater example of a Nick Bolton game than Week 3, and the Chiefs are glad to have him leading the defense.

Sep 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney (1) is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs' defense helped bring home another win last Sunday, and the entire unit played a role in defeating the Atlanta Falcons. For the first time this season, though, linebacker Nick Bolton stepped up and performed like the player Kansas City has grown to know over the years.

With a fourth-and-inches stop of Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, Bolton forced the home team to turn the ball over on downs and let the visitors run the clock out. Thanks to a fantastic push from the defensive front – including fellow linebacker Leo Chenal – Bolton sealed the deal. It was a terrific instance of the veteran diagnosing a play and being a closer for the back-to-back champs.

All of that was after Bolton exited the game with an injury. He still managed to play 48 snaps while battling through a back ailment, and Kansas City is proud of that toughness. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo believes it sets an example for the rest of the defense.

"Yeah, it was great to see Nick make that [play]," Spagnuolo said. "We all know he gutted it out. His back was bothering him, he went back in. Thank God we've 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 Drue (Tranquill) had to take over. When you lose that guy in the middle, it's like losing the quarterback, right? 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. And then Nick just coming back and doing what he did.

"I think we all know this about Nick: he's just got such great football instincts. He feels things. He studies the game, so he knows ahead of time, sometimes, when teams are going to do certain things. I thought he played great."

All-Pro interior lineman Chris Jones cites Bolton as the heart and soul of that side of the ball – a title that's usually reserved for him.

“He’s a dog," Jones said of Bolton. "We try not to bring him off the field. We try to make sure he’s playing every play. He’s our play caller. I think he is the pillar of this defense.”

After a 2023-24 campaign that got cut short due to injuries, Bolton is opting to bank on himself in a contract year. With 22 tackles through three games, he's off to a respectable start. Four of those tackles have been for a loss, which is already a huge improvement over just one a season ago. Bolton is back to making a difference on defense alongside Tranquill and Chenal.

Regardless of how one feels about Bolton's chops in coverage or his consistency in deconstructing blocks, he was one of the driving forces behind an impressive victory over a formidable opponent. That isn't the first time he's stepped up, and it won't be the last.

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