Chiefs DT Chris Jones breaks silence on his holdout: 'I can play right now'
Cryptic tweets are a thing of the past for Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones. He's talking about his holdout and talking a lot just one day before his team is slated to suit up without him and face the Detroit Lions in the season opener. Jones showed up in Kansas City after a months-long holdout to fulfill […]
Cryptic tweets are a thing of the past for Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones. He's talking about his holdout and talking a lot just one day before his team is slated to suit up without him and face the Detroit Lions in the season opener.
Jones showed up in Kansas City after a months-long holdout to fulfill obligations for a brand deal with McDonald's during the team's "Red Wednesday" charity event raising money for Ronald McDonald House Kansas City.
Of course, media members were in attendance to greet him and ask him about his decision to hold out.
"I can't really talk about it," Jones said. "Hopefully, it gets worked out. It has always been my goal to be a Kansas City Chief for life. I've said that multiple times on social media platforms and in interviews. They know where my position is at and hopefully something can get worked out."
Jones says that he hasn't allowed the situation to stress him out. He's been staying in Miami, training and staying focused for when the time does come to make his return.
"I can play right now," Jones said. "If a deal gets done today, I’m on the field tomorrow."
Unfortunately, it's not as simple as that. The Chiefs feel they've offered Jones a deal that is more than fair. It would be fully guaranteed and make him the third-highest-paid defender in the NFL.
Neither side has shown a willingness to meet in the middle from there.
As far as the fans and outside criticism he's received for his holdout, Jones isn't letting that part of it get to him either.
"Opinions are like buttholes, everybody has one and they all stink," Jones said. "Some are gonna like it, some gonna respect it, some gonna dislike it. That's just the way it is. You can't make everybody happy, unfortunately. As much as you try to appease people, you're not going to make everyone happy. I'm sorry. I'm just asking for a raise."
The 29-year-old also indicated he has been in direct contact with his teammates throughout this entire process. He said that he didn't want to show up for a "hold-in" situation because he thought it'd be a bigger distraction. He also shot down the idea that he's letting those teammates down by holding out and potentially missing games.
"How," Jones asked. "How have I let them down? It's just like when you're at a job and you ask for a raise. You're not letting anyone down? When you take the personal feelings out of it, you're not letting (your teammates) down by asking for a raise."
As for whether he'll suit up and play in the game against the Lions on Thursday night, that remains to be seen. The fact that he and his agents are in town means there could be a last-minute push to get something done. However, the latest reports have indicated that the sides remain far apart on a long-term deal.
"I don't know yet. I could be playing. I could be on the sideline," Jones said. "We'll see tomorrow."
Why Chiefs DT Chris Jones’ holdout strategy is unlikely to pay off
Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones might not prove the point he’s trying to prove by holding out of games during the 2023 NFL season.
Featured image via Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
