Ahead of the Sunday Night Football clash between the Kansas City Chiefs (8-3) and the Green Bay Packers (5-6), star player Chris Jones took a moment to discuss his future with the team during an appearance on “Gets It” with NBC Sports’ Michael Smith.
Despite his desire to continue with the Chiefs, the veteran defensive tackle emphasized that the decision is not within his control.
In the final year of his $80 million contract, Jones took a firm stance during the offseason, refusing to attend training camp without a better deal.
After an extended holdout, he eventually agreed to a one-year, $19.5 million contract, laden with incentives that could bring the total to $25 million, as reported by NFL.com’s Kevin Patra.
Reflecting on the business aspect of contract negotiations, Jones stated, “It’s a tough business. It’s a cutthroat business, and you can’t get too involved with your feelings about it. If we’re speaking truthfully, this could be my last year with the Chiefs.”
Chris Jones, on how this could be his last season with the #Chiefs. He talks about how he would feel if it is, but what he hopes happens. #ChiefsKingdom 🎥: NFL on NBC pic.twitter.com/gsjbgCzGze
— Starcade Media (@StarcadeMediaKC) December 1, 2023
However, he maintained a pragmatic perspective, expressing understanding for the business dynamics. Jones acknowledged the potential finality of this season with the Chiefs, stating,
“Am I gonna hate the Chiefs for it? Am I going to down the Chiefs for it? No, I understand the business of it, you know what I mean? So I can respect the reality of things, so I never put my feelings in the business part of it.”
When questioned about the possibility of this being his last season with the Chiefs, Jones replied, “It ain’t.”
“Hypothetically speaking, if this is my last year, I’ve given this organization everything I have. I’ve exhausted everything,” he added.
“So if this is my last year, I’m super thankful. Hopefully, it’s not. But if it is, I’m super grateful for the Chiefs organization, and I’ve poured everything into this.”
Amidst the uncertainty, Jones remains focused on the present, avoiding unnecessary stress about the future.
“I don’t even think about it because when you start thinking about things, trying to plan, nothing really goes as planned, right?” Jones commented on the looming free agency.
“After the season, we’ll evaluate, see where we’re at and hopefully, it’s still with the Chiefs.”
Despite the team’s struggles this season, Jones, with 7.5 sacks and 24 total tackles, continues to be a pivotal figure in the Chiefs’ defense.
The 29-year-old stands to earn significant bonuses if he maintains his high-level performance, including an extra $1.25 million for reaching 10 sacks and an additional $1 million if the Chiefs make it to the Super Bowl.
One notable aspect of Jones’ contract is that the Chiefs retained the ability to franchise tag him in 2024, potentially keeping him off the open market.
The franchise tag number would be around $32.4 million in 2024, ensuring leverage over the star defensive tackle.
In a perfect world, Jones would prefer to stay in Kansas City, and his new deal suggests a mutual inclination.
As Patra noted, “A notable aspect of the pact is that Kansas City retained the ability to franchise tag Jones in 2024, ensuring leverage over the star defensive tackle and potentially keeping him off the open market.
The tag number would be about $32.4 million in 2024, NFL Network’s James Palmer reported (a 120% increase on his 2023 cap number).”