Hours before a deadline to reach a long-term contract extension, the Chiefs made their star right guard the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history.
Trey Smith, a full-time starter since being drafted in the sixth round in 2021, agreed to a four-year, $94 million contract with $70 million guaranteed on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.
The guaranteed money and average annual salary are the highest ever for a guard.
As a player who was given the franchise tag, Smith had until 4 p.m. Tuesday to reach a long-term deal with the Chiefs, otherwise he would’ve had to play the 2025 season on the one-year franchise tender, which for offensive linemen this year is $23,403,000.
Smith 26, is coming off his first Pro Bowl nod last season and played a major role in the Chiefs’ consecutive Super Bowl championships the prior two seasons.
The contract agreement comes 11 months after the Chiefs made Creed Humphrey the highest-paid center ever with a four-year, $72 million contract that includes $50 million guaranteed.
Smith had blood clots in his lungs during his college career at Tennessee, which impacted his draft stock.
But he became a Day 1 starter for the Chiefs and will remain a stalwart in front of Patrick Mahomes for the foreseeable future.
Mahomes, for one, was appreciative of the move, posting a grinning emoji on X not long after the new of Smith’s deal broke.
After falling to the Eagles in the Super Bowl and failing on their attempt to three-peat, the Chiefs open the 2025 NFL season against the Chargers on Friday, Sept. 5 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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