Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said he’d only just agreed to his three-year contract extension with the team on March 9 when he got a phone call.

It was defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo … reaching out from his own vacation in Miami.

“Kind of like a dad call,” Bolton said last week with a smile.

The ensuing conversation included plenty of encouraging words, much like they were coming from a father figure.

But that was also after Spagnuolo started by saying, “This is a great way to start the weekend off,” and followed with, “Happy to get you back in the building.”

The feeling was mutual for Bolton, who re-upped with the Chiefs before free agency officially opened a few days later — and when he’d have been able to negotiate with all 32 teams.

“Talking with family, my agent,” Bolton said, “it (re-signing) just made the most sense.”

The 25-year-old Bolton signed a three-year contract extension for $45 million, with $30 million guaranteed. It’s a big chunk of money for an off-ball linebacker, which typically isn’t viewed as one of the NFL’s premier positions.

Then again, it’s clear that the Chiefs don’t view Bolton as an ordinary player, either.

Bolton started each of the last four seasons for the Chiefs after being taken in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Spagnuolo has constantly spoken of his admiration for the former Missouri Tigers star, even crediting him for calling a critical blitz that helped the Chiefs win Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers.

The two share a deeper bond than that, too. Bolton revealed that Spagnuolo has contacted him a few times since he re-signed with the Chiefs, just to chat about things that aren’t football.

Like this: Spagnuolo met Bolton’s father, Carlos, on one of Nick’s first days with the Chiefs. Spagnuolo asked then if Carlos still had any years left in him to play football.

That’s one family member Spagnuolo asks about, Bolton says. He also brings up Bolton’s siblings, his mom, his girlfriend — and then shifts the focus to how he’s doing.

“He checks in every single week, makes sure my mental is good, my family is good,” Bolton said. “And I just do the same.”

Bolton’s extension comes after he played a year with some uncertainty.

He was on the last year of his rookie deal in 2024, saying he and his agent only briefly discussed an extension with the Chiefs over the summer.

“I think the conversations in training camp were like, ‘Oh well, he was hurt last year. Kind of want to make sure he can stay healthy,’” Bolton said. “I was dinged up a little bit. So, I understood from both sides of the argument. I just wanted to go out there and put my best foot forward, give myself 17 games, be healthy and play good football.”

That’s essentially what Bolton did. He started every game for the Chiefs last season while leading the team with 106 tackles.

Bolton said he didn’t find it difficult to concentrate solely on football while his future remained unclear.

“Ultimately, my mindset was trying to figure out how to help our team get to three Super Bowls in a row — the first team to do that (after winning two) — and then give yourself an opportunity to win the thing,” Bolton said. “So that was where my focus went throughout the season.”

One significant benefit for Bolton in 2025: He’ll be playing again in familiar surroundings.

He said getting back with this group of coaches and teammates was one of the big draws of returning to KC. He also has spent the last eight years of his life in the state of Missouri, which he says now “definitely feels like home.”

Bolton says it’s also important to be on a team that believes in him. The Chiefs had that conviction for him when he was drafted out of college, and he believes that helped him grow into the defensive leader he’s become.

Now, for next season, the aim will be to finish things. Bolton said he “didn’t want to leave Kansas City on a sour note” following the team’s blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.

“We didn’t play our best football in that game,” Bolton said. “So obviously, I’ve got an opportunity to come back and try to give myself a chance to get back to that game and have a better outcome.”