Chris Jones no shows Chiefs ring ceremony, mandatory minicamp
Chris Jones is serious about convincing the Chiefs how much more he’s worth. The star defensive tackle skipped mandatory minicamp and the team’s Super Bowl ring ceremony.
If you bail on picking up such a blingy ring with its 629 diamonds and 35 rubies, then you’re serious about a getting that check with the extra zeroes. Real quick, we’re going to give you another look at this magnificent piece of jewelry. The ring was so impressive, it received its own party and red carpet to celebrate its premiere.
The Chiefs closed out minicamp earlier Thursday. Patrick Mahomes addressed the Jones’ absence. And he noted he’s seen this sort of stuff before.
“It’s part of the business,” Mahomes told reporters. “Chris knows that we love him here. He’s been a part of this team for a long time. He’s one of the main reasons that we’ve had the success that we’ve had; he’s been that leader on the defense. (And) he’s made a lot of big plays in what seem like the biggest moments. And you want those guys on your team.”
You could get few arguments if you say Chris Jones was the best defensive player in the AFC last season. He’s a tackle with a terrific interior pass rush. And those two traits are 24k gold in the NFL. Jones personally harassed Joe Burrow in the AFC title game, with two sacks, five quarterback hits and six QB hurries. In the regulars season, Jones notched 15.5 sacks, with 44 tackles and 29 QB hits.
Jones still has one year remaining on his deal. He’s set to earn $19.5 million this season as part of the deal he signed in 2020 that was worth $80 million over four years.
Earlier this year, The Athletic reported that Jones wants superlative kind of money. He desires to be at least No. 2 on the highest-paid defenders list. So he’s shooting to be paycheck adjacent to Aaron Donald. The superstar Rams d-tackle is the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Last summer, he signed an extension worth $95 million, which averages $31,666,667 per year. But for those keeping other stats, it’s Chris Jones two Super Bowl rings versus one for Aaron Donald.
Both Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach said they’re in touch with Chris Jones. It’s just a matter of getting a deal done, preferably before training camp starts next month.
“Chris wasn’t here — kind of like last year, same type of deal,” Reid told reporters. “That’s his choice. So, he chose not to be here. But I’m sure he’ll be at training camp.”
Reid added: “I don’t even deal with it. I let Brett and his group deal with it. If you’re there, you’re there. If you’re not, we keep going. It’s one of those deals. They’ll work all that out. They’re communicating, so that’s important.”
Reid also wanted to make sure that his big tackle stays in shape. Mahomes said he knows it won’t be a problem.
“It’s the offseason. Even though you’re getting better, I’m sure Chris (Jones) is working, and he knows the defense that he needs to do,” Mahomes said. “The hope is everything’s good by training camp, and we’re able to come in and just roll.
“That’s just part of it — and that’s what makes this team so great,” the quarterback said. “Whenever guys like that have to go handle their business, we let them handle it. When they jump back in the building, we get back right where we left off.”