(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Barring a miracle or a last-second change of heart, the Kansas City Chiefs won’t have one of their best players on the field for their season opener.
Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes echoed the team’s sentiment about Jones’ holdout, and it seems like they have lost all hope about him being there.
Asked about Jones’ holdout, the multi-time Super Bowl champion made it loud and clear that the show must go on, stating that his team will get ready for Thursday night’s clash vs. the Detroit Lions with those who are actually there:
“At this point, you just prepare to play the game with the guys that are in the building, and let the front office and stuff handle that,” Mahomes said, as quoted by ProFootballTalk. “But we’ve got a tough test with the Detroit Lions. We’re gonna try to focus on how we can win with the guys that are here.”
Patrick Mahomes on Chris Jones: At this point, we prepare with the guys in the building. https://t.co/1grTOGQpJB
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 4, 2023
Mahomes had already been quite supportive of Jones amid his contract standoff with the organization, and he’s talked about how special and impactful he is for the team.
He recently stated that he supports all players looking to get paid and take care of their families, and he didn’t want to dig too much into that.
The Chiefs will have a big target on their back this season, being the defending Super Bowl champions.
And while most people focus mostly on their offense and Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, not having one of the five best defenders in the league should take a major toll on their chances as well.
Jones has been the Chiefs’ defensive anchor for quite a while now, and he’s reportedly looking for a contract similar to Aaron Donald’s.
He’s entering the final year of his deal, and after piling up $2 million in fines, it seems like he’s not going to change his stance unless he gets the contract he wants.
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