Just minutes before they began their final preseason game against the Chicago Bears, it was announced that the Kansas City Chiefs had agreed to a contract extension with center Creed Humphrey. The Pro Bowl offensive lineman is now tied to his drafted team through 2028, making him a cornerstone of the franchise.
With the contract signed, Humphrey is happy that everything worked out. Speaking to the media after practice on Monday, he said that his priority is to spend his entire career in Kansas City.
“Yeah, a lot,” Humphrey said. “I’m in the perfect situation for me. I’m playing in a place that I can call home, and it’s been great to be able to call that home for the last four years, and I’ve really enjoyed it. To get this opportunity is great.”
Humphrey explained in detail why he is in a perfect situation and pointed out all the people around him.
“Just the guys here,” Humphrey said. “The coaching staff, everything here is top-notch. Obviously I get to play with Pat (Mahomes) and stuff like that. The whole situation is perfect for me, so I’m really happy to be here.”
While it will take another contract or two to ensure that Humphrey spends his entire football life with the Chiefs, he is off to a damn good start. Since being selected 63rd in the 2021 NFL Draft, he has been nothing short of excellent. In three seasons, he has made all 51 regular season starts, won two Pro Bowls and And was selected to the All-Pro second team. He also played nearly 700 snaps in the postseason and won two Super Bowl titles.
Humphrey’s new deal with Kansas City is unprecedented. The $72 million contract beats all other center deals in terms of total value, average annual value and cumulative guarantees. Contract extensions for players like Frank Ragnow of the Detroit Lions, Lloyd Cushenberry of the Tennessee Titans and Ryan Kelly of the Indianapolis Colts pale in comparison. Still, Humphrey hasn’t put much emphasis on reshaping the market so fundamentally.
“Yeah, for me it was just about getting to a point where I feel comfortable,” Humphrey said. “It worked out on both sides and it was a good process and, yeah, it worked out great. I’m happy about it. For my part, I’m glad that’s over now. I can concentrate on football. It’s good.”
With Humphrey’s deal sealed, Kansas City can turn its attention to other 2021 draft picks, such as linebacker Nick Bolton and right guard Trey Smith. Both players are likely to sign lucrative contracts in the future, but whether that will be with the Chiefs remains to be seen. Humphrey said he and the team would “love for everybody to stay,” a sentiment that general manager Brett Veach has echoed in recent months.
Humphrey and Co. were overjoyed when the news of his contract came out, but now he wants to justify the huge payday only in the regular season.
“It was great,” said Humphrey. “Everyone congratulated me and said everything. I’m happy about it. But for me, this day was a reason to be happy, but now it’s back to work. I’m back at work and getting ready for the season.”
