As Kansas City Chiefs fans await news on several players ahead of the upcoming free agency period, one of the team’s star defenders has weighed in on his long-term future with the team.
Chiefs DT Chris Jones let off a routine, “I’m grateful” tweet on Sunday morning. It was met with responses from fans, who tend to read into cryptic tweets from players this time of the year. Asked whether he’d have an extension announcement in the future, Jones had an intriguing response that has generated quite a bit of buzz.
“I’m a Chief for life,” Jones wrote. “I will not play for another franchise.”
I'm a chief for life. I will not play for another franchise
— Chris Jones (@StoneColdJones) March 12, 2023
It’s not terribly surprising that Jones feels this way about staying with the Chiefs. He’s spoken highly of his time in Kansas City and he’s now won two Super Bowl titles with this team. The former 2016 NFL draft pick out of Mississippi State has become a vital part of the franchise over the course of his 7-year NFL career.
Many believe a Jones extension has been on the horizon as he’s in the final year of his four-year deal worth $85 million that he signed back in July 2020. An extension would make plenty of sense if only to lower Jones’ $28.2 million salary cap hit in 2023. It’d also make sense as a way to reward one of the team’s defensive leaders and ensure that he remains a “Chief for life” as he says.
This tweet seems to suggest that Jones expects an extension soon as well. His representation did meet with the team at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, so it wouldn’t be too shocking to see a deal materialize in the coming days.
