How good will Chris Jones be this season? Fresh off of another Super Bowl run, the Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle is looking for another ring to add to his collection. There's just one hurdle, though: Jones is now 30 years old. In the NFL landscape, that's pretty old, especially for a position like tight end. It's something that the fans are watching closely.
As Jones prepares for his age-30 season, the Chiefs defensive tackle has just one request for head coach Andy Reid. Jones joked that he would like to get some extra time off, per The Athletic.
“Listen man, I just hope coach Reid feels it in his heart to understand that (age) 30 hit different,” Jones said, smiling. “Give me a day or two off coming up. Maybe I need to have a one-on-one with (general manager Brett) Veach and talk to my guy (club owner) Clark (Hunt). We’re going to figure this thing out.”
Jones is coming off yet another solid run for the Chiefs last season. The star defensive tackle reassumed his role in the interior as a cornerstone of the offense. His presence in the middle gave the team some much-needed pressure in the run game. Even as a nose tackle, Jones tallied 10.5 sacks and 30 tackles last season.
Jones has welcomed the return of the NFL season with open arms. The Chiefs star is ready to take on the challenge of winning the three-peat.
“I love being in this environment where we can all focus on football, get better, compete and challenge each other,” Jones said of camp. He then added a few jokes: “It feels good to be back in the dorm (room) on a twin bed (laughing). It’s a queen. I haven’t slept on a queen bed in decades, but it feels good.”
Jones gunning for DPOY
The Chiefs star also made it clear that his goal next season is to win the Defensive Player of the Year award. Despite his talent, Jones has never won the DPOY award in his career. Jones is gunning for that award the same way he has made it his goal every year.
“I strive for (the defensive player of the year award) every year,” Jones said. “It’s a commitment to myself that I make and also challenging myself to make my teammates better. No matter how much money I’m making, my morals never change with football: I play because I love the game.”
Perhaps that Defensive Player of the Year pursuit will help the Chiefs win the Super Bowl for the third time in a row. Winning back-to-back is already a rare achievement on it's own. A three-peat is just going to cement this team among the greatest of all time. It's not going to be easy: plenty of teams have tried and failed to get to that goal.
The Chiefs should still be favorites to win the AFC West. Whether they can parlay that into another title is a different story altogether. Can Jones lead this team to football greatness?
Follow Us
Subscribe
