Arrowhead Pride
Kansas City’s right guard begins training camp with a record-setting four-year, $94 million extension.
The Kansas City Chiefs opened training camp with one of their core linemen locked in for the long haul. Right guard Trey Smith reported for duty after signing a four-year, $94 million contract extension last week — the biggest contract ever given to an NFL guard.
While Smith’s new deal makes headlines for its size, his response to the moment reveals a player still deeply grounded in humility, gratitude and hard work as he begins his fifth year in Kansas City.
“Getting the [franchise] tag [gave me] a tremendous sense of honor, in a way,” he told the press on Tuesday. “It showed the organization had that much faith and confidence in my ability as a player. For me, I looked at it as a blessing at the time — and ultimately, we got the deal done. That’s a great blessing again — and it’s something I have to earn.”
Throughout the process, Smith never entertained the idea of holding out of team activities. His plan was always to be there, ready to go back to work and play for the team he loves.
“I want to be with my team,” he explained. “I love being here with the Kansas City Chiefs. I have a tremendous sense of honor and pride playing here. I really love my job. I miss Kansas City and anytime I can come back and play the game I love, I’m not going to hesitate to do it.”
But beyond the business of football, the extension represented a deeply personal milestone for Smith and his family. It wasn’t just about the money. It was also about the journey — and fulfilling a promise he made to his late mother long before he entered the league.
“I lost my mom when I was 15,” began Smith, visibly emotional. “I made two promises to her: I’ll get my degree and play in the NFL. I didn’t promise her I’d be the highest paid, but I made a promise. My parents sacrificed so much for me to be here. To have that moment with them? It’s special. It’s something I won’t take for granted.”
Smith’s rise from sixth-round draft pick to the league’s most highly-paid guard is the kind of story young players dream about. With a new season about to begin, Smith stands as a testament to what can happen when hard work meets opportunity.
“When you step into the NFL — [when] you step on that field — it’s open competition,” observed Smith. “You’ve got to go earn that spot every single day you step on the field; I’ve got to go earn my job every single day. If you have that worker’s mentality, you give 100%. You try to apply what your coaches are telling you in your game every single day and just become a better player. It’ll pay off.
“At the end of the day, you have to put the...
