“He did his thing. Chris Jones — the most unstoppable man in football,” the veteran’s teammate Frank ‘the Shark’ Clark said back in 2023. After all, Chris Jones had sacked Joe Burrows twice and had broken through every blocker to help secure the Chiefs’ ticket to Super Bowl LVII. In all, Jones led the ‘Sack Nation’ that night as he recorded four tackles, two sacks, five hits on the quarterback, and six quarterback pressures. His crucial role in helping the Chiefs secure a 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t go unnoticed in the 2022 AFC Championship. Not just that, Jones’ charge helped KC lift the Lombardi trophy that year.
Fast forward two years, the Chiefs may have lost in Super Bowl LIX, but Jones is using it to fuel their competitive fire. “We think we’re better, and we’re focused on getting back to the mountaintop now,” KC’s 95 said as he declared his approach to the game in the upcoming season. Call him physically gifted or talented, but he is one of the most dominant and tough players, but there’s another side to him, a bit softer.
And that side led Trey Smith, who met both versions, to admit one truth from 2021! First is Jones’ presence in the locker room. The veteran has never hesitated to help younger players and motivate them for the main action. Smith isn’t an exception. He, too, was fortunate enough to pick up more than a few things from the veteran. But that didn’t come easily for the then-Chiefs rookie #65.
Now, making his appearance on the New Heights podcast, Smith recalled the instance when Jones gave him his “welcome to the NFL” moment. “For me, it was just getting whooped repetitively… Every single week. Like, I might face, like, maybe one, but there’s only one Chris Jones. Yeah, exactly. I’m over here, you know, riding. It’s like a long drive drill. We’re in, like, play 13. He got subbed out. He’s back in. And I throw a right hand. He slashes down, beats me,” Smith narrated his experience.
Smith’s misery in his rookie year facing Jones wasn’t even surprising to the hosts! After all, he also got to see the other side of Travis Kelce in his first year. The CEO of Sack Nation is ranked as the player with the fourth-most sacks in the franchise’s history. Jones has a PFF grade of 90.6 and has been grinding with the Chiefs since 2016. Be it noticeable or not, Jones has consistently elevated his game, lifting his teammates along with him. The former second-round pick is one of just six players to be part of all three of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl teams in the last six seasons.
Getting back to Smith’s story, KC#95 even pulled a “sweet talk” for the then-rookie, as Kelce describes. Smith further explained, “He’s like, ‘Hey, look here, rookie. You [have] got to get that hand to the outside. You know? That’s how you go.’ I love him, though, man. I’m so happy I get to go against that type of player every time. It just prepares me, bro.”
However, Smith saw it as an opportunity to go against the best and learn. And now it’s showing in his resume! Smith earned PFWA All-Rookie honors and even made a Pro Bowl appearance. As the 2x Super Bowl champ has been around the block, Jones might have just picked up something new.
Did Chris Jones feel remorse over his one decision as he appreciated Trey Smith?
Do you remember Jones’ lengthy holdout back in 2023? In the final year of his $80 million contract that he signed in 2020, he held out for the entire offseason. He even missed the season opener and had claimed he was prepared to sit out until as late as Week 8. Fortunately, the drama didn’t last long. He ultimately decided to end his holdout by signing a one-year contract with incentives, as per ESPN.
Later in the offseason, he signed a five-year deal worth $95 million. But does he regret that situation and his old decision in the present? It was pretty chaotic back then. After watching Smith, who is also eyeing a long-term deal with the Chiefs, in attendance at the mandatory minicamp, Jones noted, “Well, it’s good Trey didn’t take my approach.”
Smith chose a different path from Jones. The guard inked a non-exclusive franchise tag, which will pay him $23.4 million, unless he reaches a new agreement before the July 15 deadline. Jones expressed his relief that while he did things differently, Smith luckily didn’t follow the same path as he took.
“That’s the big bucks. Yeah, he’s in a good place. Stay healthy, be ready to compete in training camp, which I know Trey will be, and we’re excited to have him around,” Jones told KCTV5. After the Chiefs’ loss in Super Bowl LIX, the team is looking into keeping Patrick Mahomes safe, and perhaps sees Smith as a key player to strengthen their offensive line. Jones believes the same, as he praised the guard. While Smith has seemingly found a clever way out, the Chiefs might not risk letting Smith slip out of their hands.
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