Trey Smith was in the barber’s chair when he got the call that an agreement had been reached. The contract that would make him the highest-paid guard in NFL history was ready for his signature.

Zoom!

Smith couldn’t arrive quickly enough.

Advertisement

“I did the speed limit though,” Smith assured.

As the Kansas City Chiefs opened training camp Tuesday at Missouri Western, Smith reflected on the four-year, $94 million deal that he signed on July 15 — the deadline to sign franchise-tagged players to long-term contracts — and shared how his thoughts immediately turned to his mother, Dorsetta, who died when Smith was 15.

Smith stood at the lectern in St. Joseph in silence for a moment before composing himself and recalling the pledges he’d made to his mom.

After a few moments, Smith took a breath.

“I made two promises to her,” he said. “That I would get my degree, and I would play in the NFL.

Advertisement

“I didn’t promise her I’d be the highest paid, but I made a promise to her. My parents sacrificed so much for me to be here. So much … It’s special. It’s something I won’t take for granted.”

At the time, such a mammoth deal was unlikely, given where Smith was drafted. The Chiefs selected him in the sixth round, No. 226 overall. Blood clots were discovered in his lungs after his freshman season at the University of Tennessee, which dropped his draft stock.

The issue appeared resolved as Smith played the first six games for the Volunteers as a sophomore in 2018. Then the blood clots returned and he missed the rest of that season.

With medication, Smith returned to action as a junior and played as a senior, improving his draft outlook. His level of play was exceptional: Smith was first-team All-SEC both years, and he was considered an early-round talent.

Advertisement

But his stock ultimately did drop because of lingering concerns about the health issue.

Now, it turns out that the Chiefs got the steal of that year’s draft, a player who turns up in the first round of most draft re-rankings. Smith has been a starter since the time he arrived in Kansas City, with two Super Bowl championships in three appearances and his first Pro Bowl recognition last year.

“How great is that?” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Sixth-round pick, the blood clots and was able to work through that. … To be able to come in and play at the level he’s played at, and the toughness that he brings with it — he brings it every game.”

Smith shares this advice to those fighting uphill battles: “Every day, come to work, 100 miles per hour. I’d rather say whoa than go.

“That’s the mentality you have to bring as an undrafted or low-drafted guy. When you step on that field it’s open competition, and I feel like I have to earn my job every single day.”