The Kansas City Chiefs have signed C Creed Humphrey to a record-breaking contract extension, breaking a long-time trend under head coach Andy Reid.
In 2013, Reid inherited Rodney Hudson, who was by all means a very good NFL center. He started all 16 games for the Chiefs in 2014 before becoming a free agent in 2015. Kansas City opted against paying him and he signed a five-year, $44.5 million contract with $20 million guaranteed with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, where he'd become an All-Pro and multi-time Pro Bowler.
The Chiefs then went on to draft Missouri OL Mitch Morse in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. Morse would be the starter at center for Kansas City for the next four years, but when it came time to pay Morse, the team let him walk. He'd go on to sign a four-year $44.5 million contract with the Buffalo Bills, making him the highest-paid center in the NFL at the time. He'd become a Pro Bowler with Buffalo in 2022, before joining the Jacksonville Jaguars and former Chiefs OC Doug Pederson this offseason.
This is all to say that the team hasn't been keen on giving out long-term contract extensions at the center position, that is until now.
Chiefs make Creed Humphrey NFL's highest-paid center
According to multiple reports, the Chiefs are set to sign Humphrey to a long-term contract extension that will make him the highest-paid center in football.
This comes after back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons to go with back-to-back Super Bowl-winning seasons for the former Oklahoma Sooner. Humphrey also became an All-Pro in 2022.
A to Z Sports' Josh Queipo and Kyle Dediminicantanio projected this type of contract for Humphrey back in May:
"If he aims for 6.75% of the 2024 salary cap, Humphrey would push the top of the center market up to $17.25 million. That would be a $3 million increase at the top of the market and Kansas City will likely push back on jumping the market that much."
It's no surprise to see the Chiefs make this type of commitment. We all saw what happened in Super Bowl LV when the offensive line wasn't up to the task of protecting Patrick Mahomes. Humphrey has been one of the best centers in football since entering the league as a second-round draft pick in 2021. Throughout his three-year NFL career, he's never missed a game. He has also allowed just 16 penalties, 44 pressures, and 5 sacks on 3,414 total snaps according to Pro Football Focus .
The big question now is will the Chiefs extend Humphrey's running mate on the right side, Trey Smith, to a long-term deal?
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