KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs and defensive end George Karlaftis reached an agreement on a four-year, $93 million contract extension that includes $62 million guaranteed, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
With two years left on his rookie contract and entering his prime, Karlaftis, 24, made a long-term commitment to the Chiefs with the new deal, which runs through the 2030 season.
“He’s a heck of a player and he’s done a great job here and he’s profiting from that,” coach Andy Reid said. “Our team is also profiting from him being around. It’s a win-win. He’s a relentless player. You can trust him and he’s reliable. You know he’s going to do the right things and go 100 miles an hour doing it.”
General manager Brett Veach and Reid quickly shifted their attention to prioritize signing Karlaftis after the team accomplished its final major objective for this offseason: signing Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith to a record-setting four-year, $94 million contract extension just hours before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline for franchised-tagged players to agree to long-term contracts.
“It’s great to have, from a coach’s standpoint,” Reid said of signing Karlaftis and Smith. “The tough job is with Veach having to juggle the financial part of it, but we love having continuity with your good, young players. Veach has done a nice job with his [personnel] group in the draft.”
In his three years with the Chiefs, Karlaftis has recorded 24.5 sacks, consistent production that was often a byproduct of his tenacity and relentless pursuit of the opposing quarterback. Karlaftis has also been effective in one-on-one matchups while lining up next to All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, the Chiefs’ best defender. When Jones created pressure on the opposing quarterback — sometimes beating two linemen in less than 2.5 seconds — Karlaftis was the defensive lineman who most often collected the sack.
Last season, Karlaftis led the Chiefs with eight sacks and a career-high 28 quarterback hits. He also recorded five pass breakups and 35 tackles. In the Chiefs’ three-game postseason run, Karlaftis elevated his performance, recording four sacks and eight quarterback hits.
The Chiefs were eager to agree to this deal because Karlaftis, under his new contract, will be just the 10th-highest-paid defender among pass rushers, earning an annual average salary of $23.25 million, which includes incentives. By agreeing to the extension, Karlaftis is expected to become an even bigger focal point in longtime coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, alongside Jones and linebacker Nick Bolton.
Karlaftis is the first member of the Chiefs’ impactful 2022 draft class — which includes running back Isiah Pacheco, safety Bryan Cook, linebacker Leo Chenal and cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson — to sign a second contract with the team. The Chiefs used the second of their two first-round picks following the blockbuster Tyreek Hill trade to select Karlaftis, who has been a starter since he entered the league.
The 2022 draft class helped the Chiefs further establish their dynasty. The team won back-to-back Super Bowl championships and reached the title game again last season, becoming the first repeat champion to reach the Super Bowl for a third straight time. In 10 postseason games, Karlaftis has been a reliable contributor, posting eight sacks and 16 quarterback hits, two fumble recoveries and one pass breakup.
Throughout the past few months, even before the deadline for franchised-tagged players, the Chiefs have been in contact with a trio of their young players — Smith, Karlaftis and McDuffie — to ensure they remain core members of the roster, according to a team source. The Chiefs hope they can accomplish the last part of what would be a trifecta of deals before the season starts by signing McDuffie, a two-time All-Pro, to an extension. Such a deal, though, would likely be a record-setting one similar to Smith’s contract.
The New York Jets signed cornerback Sauce Gardner, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft, to a record-setting four-year, $120.4 million extension. A two-time All-Pro, Gardner’s deal included $85.653 million guaranteed. For the Chiefs to sign McDuffie to an extension, the deal would likely have to exceed the terms of Gardner’s contract.
