Holmes, Chiefs agree to extension

? Priest Holmes agreed to a lucrative contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs and said he felt his life “is just starting.”

The 29-year-old running back, who has led the NFL in yards from scrimmage the past two seasons, agreed Wednesday to a four-year extension that will probably keep him in Kansas City the rest of his career and will definitely have him on the field for Sunday’s season opener.

Holmes, who is coming off surgery on the hip injury that ended his season early last year, had indicated he might not play against San Diego this weekend without a new deal.

“I really believe at this time, my life is just starting. It really is,” he said after joining general manager Carl Peterson in making the announcement.

He and Peterson refused to reveal terms, but Holmes had publicly talked about wanting a $15 million extension. And he said nothing to indicate he was disappointed over not coming close to that figure.

“Let’s just say that I am a happy man,” he said. “You can see my smile. My kids will definitely be happy.”

As word of the agreement spread through the team, players came up and hugged the Pro Bowl running back, who is very popular as a hardworking and unselfish player as well as the key to their hopes for success.

“Our players really love this guy. I think they’re excited for him,” coach Dick Vermeil said.

Although he was late to practice Wednesday while finishing the deal, Holmes will not, Vermeil said with a grin, be fined.

Kansas City running back Priest Holmes rushes against Green Bay in this file photo. Holmes agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Chiefs Wednesday.

“But he could afford it,” Vermeil deadpanned.

Holmes’ remaining contract, which he agreed to in 2001 as a free agent from Baltimore, guaranteed him about $2.5 million base salary for each of the next three years — unquestionably below market value for a player who totaled 4,440 yards from scrimmage the past two seasons and was selected the NFL’s offensive player of the year for 2002.

The Chiefs were always willing to increase his compensation, but they wanted to make sure the hip was fully healed. Although in need of help on defense, they used their first-round draft pick in April on running back Larry Johnson from Penn State.

Proving himself healthy, in fact, was Holmes’ unspoken mission throughout the preseason.

“We’ve watched him. Our doctors have watched him,” Peterson said.

“He’s done every single thing we’ve asked him to do. He got knocked down. He knocked people down. He caught the ball. He ran with it. We’re satisfied very much that that’s no longer a problem,” Peterson said. “We’re excited about the way he’s looked in practice the last couple of weeks.”

Peterson said negotiations went smoothly and did not take long.

“It seemed there were some people out there who had a different motive. They wanted an acrimonious, protracted, long holdout,” he said. “That was never, ever considered. Never. He’s a very important part of this football team.”

Holmes, Peterson said, was also “very sensitive” to the Chiefs’ future salary-cap needs.

“I personally never had a doubt that he was going to be here. Priest has earned this,” he said. “He’s a very special guy on this football team. He’s one of the most understated people I know, and one of the most humble and one of the most team-oriented. He wanted it done the right way. All of those factors made it quite easy to get done.”

Vermeil said he had taken it “almost as a personal affront” that people had doubted something would get worked out. “It took some time and patience. Nobody ever gets everything they want. It worked very well for both sides,” he said.