The Kansas City Chiefs‘ offseason duties didn’t just apply to going out and finding new players to join the team. With limited cap space and draft capital to work with, general manager Brett Veach also prioritized keeping internal candidates on the roster.
One of them, defensive end George Karlaftis, received a hefty contract extension. Coming off an 8-sack season, the 24-year-old will remain a Chief through 2030.
Following the club’s first training camp practice of the summer, Karlaftis shared his initial thoughts on the contract.
George Karlaftis Reacts to Chiefs Contract Extension
Amicable agreements seem to be growing less and less common in professional sports. Nowadays, social media and accessibility make it easy for players, agents or organizations to get their messages out. Luckily for the Chiefs and Karlaftis, they bucked that trend. Buzz surrounding their negotiations was rare, leading to a smooth process.
The former first-round pick is grateful for that.
“It was a great process; very respectful I feel like on both sides,” Karlaftis said. “You know, it went good. I knew this signing was probably going to be done before camp, and I’m glad it did and I’m happy to be here for another how many years.”
Under his new deal, Karlaftis will make a base of $88 million over four years. The contract doesn’t kick in until after the 2026 campaign, leaving him with similar salary cap hits for the next two seasons. Getting a payday above his quality of play is a win, and the Chiefs locking up one of their own is a victory as well. The value of the deal can go either way, but it’s hard to not bank on a young player either maintaining or continuing to grow.
Steve Spagnuolo’s defense can rest assured knowing a core piece is under club control. Karlaftis is more than happy to stay in the place he’s grown to call home.
“For me really, it starts with the team,” Karlaftis said. “You know, the team, Coach [Andy] Reid, the guys on the team, the locker room. Everything about this organization from the top down really. Just amazing. No place I’d rather be, really. Then the city, my fiancé and I have grown to love this place, calling it home now. It’s awesome.”
Patrick Mahomes ‘Excited’ to Keep Good Teammates Around Long-Term
Karlaftis isn’t the only Chiefs player who received an extension before camp. Right guard Trey Smith, coming off the first Pro Bowl effort of his career, is on the books for a four-year deal as well.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, quarterback Patrick Mahomes shared his thoughts on two ascending players getting rewarded.
“Extremely excited,” Mahomes said. “More than the player, the people that they are. I mean, y’all know Trey, y’all know George, just come to work every single day, attack the day, great teammates, great people in the community and that’s what you want on your team. And so, we’ve built a great culture here, and to have guys like that get rewarded for how they play, but also the people that they are, it’s a great feeling and it keeps guys wanting to come out there and be the best every single day.”
Coming off a Super Bowl LIX loss, it’s still championship-or-bust for the Chiefs. That mentality won’t change for as long as Mahomes is in town. Veach and Co. went to work this offseason to shore up some weak spots on the depth chart, but not many decisions can have a higher impact than retaining young stars.
Especially ones who are universally respected and reciprocate that to the franchise.
