On April 27, 2017, Garett Bolles lifted his then 4-month-old son, Kingston, high into the air on stage after being drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round.
On Thursday, the Broncos ensured Kingston would spend his entire childhood in Denver. Bolles inked a four-year, $82 million contract extension with $42 million guaranteed.
“This is a dream come true,” Bolles said, via the team’s official website. “I grew up in this city. I became a man in this city as a football player, as a husband. And [to] get to be here long-term with my family, it means the world to me. I’m just so grateful for the [Walton-Penner family ownership group] — and what an amazing ownership group we have.”
The contract keeps Bolles in Denver through 2028, which would be his 12th NFL season.
The No. 20 overall pick in 2017 got off to a rocky start, with penalties and blown blocks characterizing his early career. However, he’s turned things around to become one of the best blindside blockers in the game. Likely due to those early-career struggles, Bolles is often overlooked among OTs. He was named second-team All-Pro in 2020 but has yet to earn a Pro Bowl nod — an error that should be remedied.
“It wasn’t easy,” Bolles said. “I didn’t start off the way I wanted to start off here, but I get to finish how I want to finish. And just [to] get to be a Bronco for life, I’m just very grateful.”