Every year, NFL teams undergo the process of purging and remaking their rosters. This can be a painful process for fans who often watch some of their favorite players walk out the door. That’s why players who stay with a team for ten years or more tend to stand out—and the Chiefs currently have two of those players.
The longest-tenured player? Legendary tight end Travis Kelce, who came pretty close to calling it quits this offseason before reversing course. The other is long-snapper James Winchester.
Earlier this week, the Chiefs announced that Winchester was coming back on a one-year deal. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the Chiefs did the exact same thing almost one year ago to the day.
Chiefs have agreed to terms on a new contract for long snapper James Winchester, per source. Terms not yet available.
The ultra reliable Winchester, who hasn’t missed a game in his career, will be back for season No. 10 in Kansas City.
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) March 11, 2024
Retaining Winchester for another season is a smart move for the sake of continuity in the NFL.
At this point in his career, it’s not surprising that Winchester is on a year-to-year basis. Most players begin looking towards retirement after double-digit seasons, and the long snapper is no exception. But this was a smart move by Kansas City. Continuity is an underrated concept in the NFL, especially on special teams.
Winchester is one of three cogs in a well-oiled machine that consistently makes Harrison Butker one of the best kickers in the NFL. The other cog is the holder, who is also the punter and needs just as much consistency from the long snapper as the kicker. Of those three, holder/punter has been the most in flux recently for the Chiefs as they transitioned from Tommy Townsend to Matt Araiza.
All three of these guys play a major role in making the Dave Toub-led unit one of the best in the NFL. But as the longest-tenured special teamer, Winchester, in particular, holds a special place. Like most players at his position, he may not be a household name or make a ton of money, but even a minor injury can suddenly disrupt the kicking process and generate headlines of the worst kind
Winchester stays out of trouble, stays healthy, and stays great at his position. And because of that, he’s staying with Kansas City for another year.
