Chris Jones’ battle with the Kansas City Chiefs front office over contract negotiations hasn’t moved as smoothly as some predicted it would. The All-Pro defensive tackle has recently provided updates on social media that hint towards his willingness to sit out until Week 8 of the regular season.
The unpredictability of the situation can take a toll on an organization and its players. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes addressed the situation with reporters after practice on Tuesday.
“I know that stuff contract stuff’s hard to talk about because everybody wants to make money for their entire family and everything like that<” Mahomes explained. “But, I know how much Chris (Jones) loves the Chiefs. He loves being part of this organization. So I just want to stay out of it and tell Chris that I love him. And that whenever he does come back, it’ll be welcomed with open arms. And we know that he’s preparing himself so that whenever he gets back, he can be the dominant player he always has been.”
Jones missed training camp this year and hasn’t indicated he is at the negotiation table with the team. Mahomes responded the same way as most observers, stunned that the holdout had stretched out this long.
“Yeah, I don’t think anyone expected him not to be here. Now, but that’s part of the contract negotiation stuff. So I mean, I’m not looking down on him for anything like that. He has stuff that he’s trying to get done that he feels like he needs to get done right now. And so I respect his decision.” said Mahomes, “And then whenever he gets back, like I said, we (welcome) him with open arms. He’s a vital part of this organization. And so I’m glad that he’s on my team.”
The cryptic messages on social media have gotten plenty of attention, but the mindset of his teammates, especially Mahomes, hasn’t changed.
