_(cropped).jpg) Bolton with theKansas City Chiefs in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||
| No. 32 – Kansas City Chiefs | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | (2000-03-10)March 10, 2000 (age 25) Frisco, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 237 lb (108 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school | Lone Star (Frisco) | ||||||||||||||||
| College | Missouri (2018–2020) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2021: 2nd round, 58th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 8, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
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Nicholas Bolton (born March 10, 2000) is an American professionalfootballlinebacker for theKansas City Chiefs of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theMissouri Tigers, and was selected by the Chiefs in the second round of the2021 NFL draft. Bolton has won twoSuper Bowl titles, LVII and LVIII, having been a starter in the2022 and2023 Chiefs teams. He also scored a defensivetouchdown from afumblerecovery in the first win.
Bolton attendedLone Star High School inFrisco, Texas.[1] He had 130 tackles and fiveinterceptions as a senior and 111 tackles and one interception his junior season.[2] He committed to theUniversity of Missouri to playcollege football.[3][4]
As a true freshman at Missouri in 2018, he played in all 13 games recording 22 tackles and one sack. As a sophomore in 2019, he became a starter.[5][6][7] He had two interceptions, including one for a touchdown, in a game against West Virginia in the 2019 season.[8] He was named first-teamAll-Southeastern Conference (SEC) after finishing with 103 tackles, two interceptions and one sack.[9] During aCOVID-19 scheduled ten game season in 2020, Bolton finished with 95 tackles and two sacks to close out his junior year.[10] He was once again named first-team All-SEC. In addition, he receivedAssociated Press Second-teamAll-American honors.[11]
| Season | Team | GP | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | Ast | Cmb | TfL | Yds | Sck | Yds | Int | Yds | TD | PD | FR | FF | |||
| 2018 | Missouri | 13 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 1.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | Missouri | 12 | 74 | 29 | 103 | 8.5 | 23 | 1.0 | 9 | 2 | 38 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | Missouri | 10 | 53 | 42 | 95 | 8.0 | 18 | 2.0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Career | 35 | 139 | 81 | 220 | 17.5 | 44 | 4.0 | 18 | 2 | 38 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 1 | |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft11+1⁄8 in (1.81 m) | 237 lb (108 kg) | 31+7⁄8 in (0.81 m) | 10+3⁄8 in (0.26 m) | 4.60 s | 1.71 s | 2.62 s | 4.50 s | 7.40 s | 32.0 in (0.81 m) | 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) | 24 reps | |
| All values fromPro Day[12][13] | ||||||||||||
Bolton was selected by theKansas City Chiefs in the second round (58th overall) of the2021 NFL draft. The Chiefs used a 2nd round selection they previously acquired along withOrlando Brown Jr. in a trade that sent the 31st overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft (Odafe Oweh) to theBaltimore Ravens.[14] On May 13, 2021, Bolton officially signed with the Chiefs on a $5.84 million deal.[15] Bolton was put on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on December 21.[16] He was activated on December 25.[17] In Week 18, against theDenver Broncos, he recorded his first NFL touchdown on an 86-yard fumble return in the 28–24 victory.[18] As a rookie, he appeared in 16 games and started 12. He finished with 112 total tackles and three passes defended.[19] He was named to the 2021 PFWA All-Rookie Team.[20]
During the 2022 season, Bolton recorded two sacks, 180 total tackles (108 solo), two interceptions, three passes defended, and one forced fumble.[21] He finished second in the NFL in combined and solo tackles in the 2022 season,[22] helping the Chiefs reachSuper Bowl LVII.
Bolton then played a key role in their 38–35 victory over thePhiladelphia Eagles,[23] leading both teams with nine total tackles, and returning a fumble byJalen Hurts 36 yards for a touchdown.[24]
During the 2023 season, Bolton recorded 60 total tackles, one interception, and three passes defended. The Chiefs reachedSuper Bowl LVIII where they defeated theSan Francisco 49ers, 25–22, to repeat asSuper Bowl champions.[25] Bolton led both teams with 13 total tackles.[26]
During Week 13 of the 2024 season against theLas Vegas Raiders, Bolton recorded 11 tackles and recovered a fumble from Raiders quarterbackAidan O'Connell with 14 seconds left in the game. This would, in essence, end the game and send the Chiefs to the playoffs, marking their 10th straight appearance in the postseason.[27] However, inSuper Bowl LIX, a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, the Chiefs lost to the Eagles, 40–22, erasing their hopes of becoming the first NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. Bolton recorded nine tackles in the game, as he did the first time he took on the Eagles in the Super Bowl.
On March 14, 2025, Bolton re-signed with the Chiefs on a three-year, $45 million contract.[28][29]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won theSuper Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Comb | Solo | Ast | Sck | PD | Int | Yds | TD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | |||
| 2021 | KC | 16 | 12 | 112 | 70 | 42 | 0.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 86 | 1 | |
| 2022 | KC | 17 | 17 | 180 | 108 | 72 | 2.0 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 | KC | 8 | 8 | 60 | 38 | 22 | 0.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 | KC | 16 | 16 | 106 | 73 | 33 | 3.0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career | 57 | 53 | 458 | 289 | 169 | 5.0 | 13 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 86 | 1 | ||
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Comb | Solo | Ast | Sck | Sfty | PD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2021 | KC | 3 | 2 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | KC | 3 | 3 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 1 |
| 2023 | KC | 4 | 4 | 40 | 18 | 22 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | KC | 2 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 12 | 11 | 93 | 51 | 42 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 1 | |