Chris Jones found himself at the center of controversy after the Chiefs' 31-28 loss to Jacksonville on Monday night. “I thought multiple times we had him,” Jones said after the game. “We just got to finish. We've got to finish. We got multiple guys there that we just got to finish that play”.
The defensive tackle received online blowback from fans for a lack of effort on Trevor Lawrence’s game-winning touchdown with 23 seconds remaining in the game. Video replays show Jones standing by the goal line and watching as Lawrence stumbles twice before jumping into the end zone.
watch Chris Jones on the final TD 💀 pic.twitter.com/DnXbtn8mc0
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 7, 2025
Chiefs fans are now full of frustration. Many questioned whether the three-time All-Pro had given up on the play entirely.
Some fans also commented on how Jones’ season has been a disappointment for his contract. According to many, he showed more frustration and emotion than actual game-changing plays. Fans, hopefully, expected far better than what was seen on that final touchdown, considering he is the team’s third-highest-paid player.
Others took shots at Jones for appearing disengaged during the crucial moment. The criticism intensified after reports surfaced that Jones deactivated his Twitter account following the game, prompting one fan to write: “to my friend chris jones, rest now, brother, we have the watch, and i'll see you in valhalla.”
The play itself put out many questions. Lawrence took the snap at the Chiefs' 1-yard line when his offensive lineman accidentally stepped on him. He hit the ground, then got back up, broke a tackle and somehow dove into the end zone. Jones seemed to be lost in hesitation, taking only half a step. Even if he could react, the game was already out of hand.
Former NFL All-Pro Aqib Talib also criticized Jones for the effort, comparing him unfavorably to Aaron Donald. The criticism makes even more sense given Jones' $30 million cap hit this season.
Jones tried to explain his positioning, suggesting he thought teammates had Lawrence wrapped up multiple times. “It was a fluke play for him to be able to break that many tackles. But yeah, I put it on us as a defense. We've got to finish. We've got to bring him down on that”.
The loss dropped Kansas City to 2-3, a stark contrast to their 15-2 record from last season. The Chiefs now face a quick turnaround, hosting Detroit on Sunday night.