Lead CBS NFL reporter says this Chiefs veteran is due for a major award that has eluded him
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones has had a Hall of Fame caliber nine-year NFL career. Jones has been selected as an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler five times and is a three-time Super Bowl champion. He has 78.5 career sacks and owns the NFL record for most consecutive games with a sack with […]
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones has had a Hall of Fame caliber nine-year NFL career.
Jones has been selected as an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler five times and is a three-time Super Bowl champion. He has 78.5 career sacks and owns the NFL record for most consecutive games with a sack with 11. The only thing that has eluded him is winning the Defensive Player of the Year award, something that Jones has been vocal about wanting to achieve.
Could this finally be the season that Jones wins the prestigious award? Lead CBS NFL reporter Tracy Wolfson believes so, as she posted on X that Jones should be in the mix in 2024.
One obstacle that Jones has faced throughout his career is being in the shadow of now retired Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald. With Donald out of the picture, Jones is widely regarded as the best DT in the league. The Chiefs certainly believe he is after giving him a massive five-year, $158.75 million contract during the offseason.
Only 10 times has a DT won Defensive Player of the Year, with Donald taking it home three times himself. DT's usually don't put up gaudy stats or have a flashy highlight reel like other positions. To win the award, Jones will likely need to finish near or at the top of the league in sacks. He currently has three through four games this season, which is tied for sixth-most.
There's still plenty of time for Jones to really get hot and go on a run of sacks. His career-high is 15.5, achieving that in 2018 and 2022. His impact often goes beyond the stat sheet, opening things up for other pass rushers such as George Karlaftis and Mike Danna. Even if Jones doesn't record a sack, he impacts quarterbacks negatively on several of their throws.
It won't be easy, but Jones winning DPOY isn't out of the realm of possibilities. He's the leader of one of the best defenses in the league and anchors the No. 1 overall run defense against running backs. If voters can recognize what Jones brings to the table beyond the numbers, he could get that cherry on top of a great career.
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