Chris Jones, Chiefs agree to new 1-year contract to end holdout

Chris Jones‘ holdout is over.

The star defensive tackle has agreed to a new one-year deal with the Chiefs, the team announced on Monday. The terms of the deal are currently unknown.

“Chris is an elite player in this league, and over the last seven years, he’s really developed into a leader on our team,” General Manager Brett Veach said on the team’s website. “He’s been instrumental to our success and Super Bowl championship runs and it was a priority for us to keep him in a Chiefs uniform. I’d like to thank Chris and his representation, Michael and Jason Katz, for their desire and patience to get this done. Through this process two things were obvious, Chris wanted to be a Chief, and the Katz brothers worked diligently on his behalf.”

With the deal, Jones will return to the Chiefs after holding out all offseason and training camp before missing their Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions. Jones didn’t report to the team as he hoped to receive a new contract. He was entering the final season of a four-year, $80 million he signed ahead of the 2020 season. Prior to his extension, Jones was the eighth-highest-paid interior defensive lineman on a per-year basis due to that deal, per Spotrac.

By rule, Jones was fined $50,000 for each day he didn’t report to the Chiefs, accruing at least $2 million in fines prior to Monday.  

Jones, who turned 29 in July, has been a key force on the Chiefs’ defense as the team has ascended to consistent contender status over the last five years. He’s been named an All-Pro four times over that stretch and is arguably coming off a career year. He matched his career high in sacks (15.5) while posting a career-high 44 combined tackles plus two forced fumbles to finish in third place in Defensive Player of the Year voting. 

In addition, Jones stepped up in the postseason. He recorded the first two sacks of his playoff career in 2022, recording both in the Chiefs’ dramatic AFC Championship Game win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He recorded three total tackles in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII win over the Philadelphia Eagles shortly after, which was Kansas City’s second title in the last four years. 

Jones was drafted by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2016 draft. He recorded 8.5 sacks over his first two seasons before posting 15.5 sacks in 2018. 

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