In a move that is equally unprecedented and surprising to the fans, the Kansas City Chiefs seem to have successfully waived their contract stand-off with Chris Jones, the All-Pro Defensive Tackle, binding him to a new one-year deal and finally ending his lengthy holdout.
The news comes as a shocker, merely 4 days after the Chief’s nail-biting defeat against the Detroit Lions in their season opener.
While no financial details regarding the contract have been disclosed, it has been reported by anonymous sources to the Associated Press that no additional tenure or new terms have been added to the Defense Tackle’s current 4-year contract worth $80 million which was set to originally expire.
Instead, the contract seems to sport some performance-based incentives thought to significantly boost Jones’s gains for the forthcoming season.
In a contract dispute, Jones, entering the final year of his $80 million four-year contract, had been holding out since the commencement of the training camp, and in doing so, accruing $50,000 worth of fines for each day he missed.
He was absent from the Chiefs’ season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night.
“Chris is an elite player in this league, and over the last seven years, he’s really developed into a leader on our team,” The General Manager of Chiefs, Brett Veach, was seen iterating in a conference. “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.”
Chris Jones reached agreement with the Chiefs, per the @KatzBrosSports
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 11, 2023
Chiefs fans are elated with the news of Chris’s arrival in the game after his prolonged absence.
The defense powerhouse, with 65 sacks in his seven NFL seasons hinted at sitting out for at least the 8th week if a deal of his choosing was not reached.
However, with the wait being over sooner than anticipated, Jones is set to make an impact on the field with his skills and experience.
All that remains is to witness how quickly Jones returns to his best form and his performance in the upcoming weeks. Nonetheless, his presence is sure to leave a lasting impact and equivocally bolster the Chiefs’ championship defense.
