11 March 2024 , 02:00
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Patrick Mahomes was overjoyed when his teammate Chris Jones signed a new contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jones, a two-time All-Pro defensive tackle, inked a five-year deal worth around $160million (£124.4m), with the first two years fully guaranteed. He played a key role in the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII victory against the San Francisco 49ers in February.
Jones managed to get 10.5 sacks during the regular NFL season and made a crucial play in overtime that led to a field goal in the Super Bowl. This allowed Mahomes to lead the team down the field and secure the win with a touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman.
Jones, who was drafted by the Chiefs in 2016, has been a standout player in three Super Bowl victories and selected for the Pro Bowl five times. The 29-year-old will continue to play at Arrowhead Stadium after finally agreeing to a new contract.
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The contract negotiations had been ongoing for some time. Last summer, it seemed like Jones' relationship with the team had soured, as he held out on signing a new deal and missed the opening game of the season against the Detroit Lions.
However, a few days later, he agreed a one-year contract worth up $22m (£17.1m) if he met certain incentives. Not too long after his Super Bowl triumph in Las Vegas just a month ago and pictures of him warmly hugging head coach Andy Reid, Jones has agreed to a deal that places him as one of the highest paid defensive tackles in the league.
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Jones has become the second-best-paid defensive tackle in the NFL (Getty Images)With $95m (£73.8m) spread across the first three years of the contract, he's only behind Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald when it comes to yearly pay. In response to Jones' new contract, Mahomes simply posted a single smiling emoji on social media.
However, Jones' crucial role to his team is undeniable. The Chiefs are no longer the explosive offensive team they once were, with Travis Kelce slowly becoming less impactful and Tyreek Hill transferred to the Miami Dolphins.
As the attack steps back, Jones and the defences coordinated by Steve Spagnuola have stepped up, becoming one of the best in the league. This group is led by Jones' pressure from inside and supported by star defenders Trent McDuffie and L'Jarius Sneed.
Jones couldn't hide his joy: "Letssss gooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!" He posted on X after putting pen to paper on the new contract that will make him extremely rich.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.