There’s a good reason long-snappers don’t want people to know their names. The only time announcers mention them is usually when they screw up.
Few people know the name of the Chiefs’ long-snapper, James Winchester. He and kicker Harrison Butker have been together in Kansas City since 2017, the year the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes. And they’ve quietly played a critical role in helping the team advance to five Super Bowls over the past six seasons.
Kansas City on Monday night ensured Winchester will return in 2025, reaching agreement with him on a one-year, $1.65 million fully guaranteed contract. Insider Ian Rapoport reported the news.
Winchester is one of six Chiefs players to earn three Super Bowl rings as the Chiefs became the NFL’s resident dynasty since 2019. Butker, Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, defensive tackle Chris Jones and guard Nick Allegretti are the others. Winchester also has had the luxury of having the same position coach, special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Dave Toub, for each season of his Chiefs career.
Kelce and Winchester share the Chiefs’ franchise record with 25 career postseason games played, including all five of Kansas City’s Super Bowl berths over the last six seasons.
Winchester, 35, originally signed with Philadelphia as a non-drafted free agent back in 2013 but was released during the preseason. He joined the Chiefs in 2015 and hasn’t missed a game since. Winchester has played all 164 regular-season and 25 postseason games over that 11-year stretch.
In addition to Butker, the Chiefs also will return punter and placement holder Matt Araiza. An exclusive-rights player, Araiza was tendered by Kansas City after averaging 48.8 gross yards and 41.5 net yards per punt in his first season as an NFL punter.
Retaining Winchester is the latest personnel move for the Chiefs, who earlier Monday agreed to terms with 49ers left tackle Jaylon Moore and San Francisco running back Elijah Mitchell – both unrestricted free agents.
In recent days, Kansas City also re-signed linebacker Nick Bolton and retained Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith on the one-year franchise tag while they continue to negotiate a long-term contract. The team re-signed Hollywood Brown on Saturday.
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