The Kansas City Chiefs re-signed defensive lineman Chris Jones on a massive five-year, $159 million deal this offseason, ensuring that he will remain with the club for the foreseeable future.
But with Jones turning 30 years old next month and having already accomplished a whole lot on the NFL level, is retirement on his mind?
“Once you begin to think about things like that, you’re getting to feed the mind those types of thoughts,” Jones said, via Adam Teicher of ESPN. “I don’t even want my mind to even go that far to the R word.”
So, apparently not.
Jones is coming off of a 2023 campaign in which he registered 30 tackles and 10.5 sacks en route to his fifth Pro Bowl appearance and second First-Team All-Pro selection, so he clearly has plenty left in the tank.
However, the Mississippi State wasn’t quite as dominant as he was the year prior, when he racked up 44 tackles and 15.5 sacks.
Still, Jones thinks he can top that in 2024, and he is even aiming for 20 sacks.
“It’s tough as hell but I’m going to do it,” Jones said.
Did the Chiefs Overpay For Chris Jones?
The contract the Chiefs handed Jones is obviously enormous, and some were even wondering if Kansas City would allow him to walk in free agency in order to retain the younger defensive star in cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
But as good as Sneed is, he does not have nearly the same impact on Kansas City’s defense as Jones.
Jones is one of the most dominant defensive presences in the NFL, and he is a major reason—if not the primary reason—why the Chiefs ranked second in defense last season.
The Houston, Ms. native has played a significant role in all three of Kansas City’s Super Bowl titles over the last five years, and if the Chiefs are going to win their third straight championship in 2024, he is going to have a major hand in it once again.
That contract may seem like a lot for a player who is getting older, but when you consider the scenario for Kansas City, it was a decision that the team essentially had to make.
The Chiefs are not rebuilding. They are not on the cusp of anything. They are already winning Super Bowls, and they are trying to collect as many rings as they possibly can in their current window. Jettisoning Jones would obviously be counterproductive to that goal.
Basically, Kansas City made the right move in extending Chris Jones, even if it did cost the front office an arm and a leg.
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