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Nick Bolton hailed as ‘irreplaceable’ by fellow Chiefs LB Leo Chenal
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Nick Bolton is having another strong season for the Kansas City Chiefs, helping compile a top-5 defense in pursuit of a Super Bowl 3-peat. However, the impact of the former Mizzou star far exceeds just his on-field performance, according to one of his teammates.
Leo Chenal is a fellow linebacker who made 14 starts alongside Bolton this season. And the former Wisconsin star says it is Bolton who acts as an older brother figure and leader on the team, as well as the top communicator for the defense and someone who is irreplaceable for the Chiefs.
“He’s been a great kind of older brother. You cannot overstate how much he’s done for all of us, the whole team,” said Chenal. “He’s someone that I see as irreplaceable. He’s a communicator on all 3 levels… nobody’s as quick or as sharp or fast thinking as Bolton.”
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Away from the field, Chenal describes Bolton as someone who takes care of the rest of the team. It’s a rare blend of on-field production and elite leadership but one Tiger fans know all about.
“The leadership he brings off the field. He takes the Mike linebacker position to a whole new level off the field, too. He’s checking in with dudes, like if he knows they’re having a hard time or something just happened,” Chenal described. “He’s making sure to check in with them. He is such a great person, a great teammate.”
On the field, Bolton has led Kansas City’s elite defense with 106 total tackles, 11 TFL, an interception and 6 pass breakups. He now has 100+ tackles in 3 of his 4 NFL seasons and could have made it 4 straight if not for being limited to 8 games a season ago.
Combine that kind of production with his elite intangibles, and Bolton is the kind of defensive leader NFL teams dream about. Now, he’s hoping to cap a stretch no other team has been able to achieve with a 3rd straight Super Bowl on Sunday.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
