Patrick Mahomes is still missing out on his key defensive player who played a major role in his Super Bowl championship win last season. Chris Jones’ holdout with the Chiefs is now getting extended beyond their expectations and it was high time for Mahomes to speak up on his reported $30,000,000 demand.
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Mahomes, during his press conference on Wednesday, addressed the situation head-on when asked by the pool of reporters. Without Jones, the Chiefs won’t have the same defense but at the same time, Mahomes also understands the stance taken up by the star player.
Patrick Mahomes Reacts to Chris Jones’ Holdout
Patrick Mahomes had a diplomatic answer to the situation. Even though he wants the star defensive tackle to be on his side as soon as possible, he is also considerate of the fact that Jones deserves to be paid. Mahomes, earlier this season, helped the Chiefs save around $9 million for the same reason. Yet the holdout continues through the preseason.
“I know that stuff — contract stuff — is hard to talk about because everybody wants to make money for their entire family and everything like that,” Mahomes said. He further added that he understands how much Jones loves the organization and that whenever he returns to the team after resolving the contract situation, his entire team will welcome him “with open arms.”
“I’m not looking down on him for anything like that,” Mahomes added. “He has stuff that he’s trying to get done that he feels he needs to get done right now. So, I respect his decision. And whenever he gets back, like I said, we’ll welcome him with open arms. He’s a vital part of this organization and I’m glad he’s on my team.”
2022 was arguably the best season of Jones’ career as he recorded 15.5 sacks and 29 quarterback hits in 17 games while also adding substantial stats in the postseason games for the Chiefs, topping it off with a Super Bowl win. Many fans side with Jones to get paid handsomely as he is one of the star attractions for the team on the defense.
Chris Jones is Willing to Sit Until Week 8
Jones recently took to Twitter to voice out his demands out loud to his fans. He revealed that he is willing to sit until Week 8 if the contract talks continue to drag. That being said, it has not been an easy decision for the Chiefs. Jones, as per many reports, has been demanding an Aaron Donald-like contract from the Chiefs, or close to $30,000,000 a year.
Week 8
— Chris Jones (@StoneColdJones) August 22, 2023
Currently, the 29-year-old has been paid $20,000,000 a year from his 2020 contract when he signed a four-year deal worth $80 million. But now that the holdout is getting extended to the last game of the preseason, the Chiefs need to act fast if they want Chris Jones on their playing roster.
