07 September 2023 , 14:14
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Kansas City Chiefs superstar Chris Jones has broken his silence on his ongoing contract dispute with the reigning Super Bowl champions after quarterback Patrick Mahomes gave him his public backing.
The Chiefs do want to give Jones, 29, a new contract, with the player in the final year of £15.8million ($20m) a year deal. However, an agreement hasn't been reached, with defensive tackle Jones hoping to collect closer to £23.7m ($30m) a year. Jones has also hinted that he may refuse to play until Week 8 of the 2023 NFL season, with the Chiefs beginning their campaign on Thursday night against the Detroit Lions.
"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 recently said on the contract dispute. But I know how much Chris loves the Chiefs. He loves being a part of this organization. So I just try to stay out of it and tell Chris that I love him and that whenever he does come back, he'll be welcomed with open arms."
Jones has now broken his silence on the saga and hit back at his critics who have slammed him for his holdout. "Opinions are like buttholes," Jones started. "Everyone's got one and they all stink. You can't make everyone happy. I'm just asking for a raise.”
The four-time Pro Bowler also says that he's been keeping fit in Miami, doing the same workouts as his teammates, and is ready to return to action when the time is right. "I've been in Miami, just training, staying focused, understanding that this is a process," Jones said.
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"I've been keeping in contact with my teammates. I'm still working out every day, still doing similar things that they do in training camp. The camaraderie, we got a lot of new players, there's that aspect of it. But I'll be ready to go when that time calls."
Chris Jones' latest contract comments come after Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes gave him his public backing (Getty)On whether he could feature on Thursday, Jones said: "I don't know yet, man. I don't know. I could be playing. I could be on the sidelines. I don't know. We'll see tomorrow."
One thing's for certain: Jones doesn't see his future outside of the Chiefs organisation. Jones does not want to leave. "It's always been my goal to be a Kansas City Chief for life," he reaffirmed.
"I've said that multiple times on social media platforms, from interviews, and they know where my position is at. Hopefully, we can get something worked out for the long term."