Chiefs' Chris Jones Says He's 'More Motivated Than Ever' Amid Contract Holdout

The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs' season begins in four days, but star defensive tackle Chris Jones has still not reported to the team as he seeks a new deal.

Amid the current standoff, Jones put out this message Sunday:

Jones is entering the final year of a four-season, $80 million contract and wants to stay a Chief for the remainder of his career.

Jones just finished a 2022 season that saw him amass 15.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 17 tackles for loss. The 29-year-old is a four-time Pro Bowler with 65 total sacks in his eight years with the Chiefs.

During that span, Kansas City has made the AFC Championship Game five times, winning it on three occasions. The Chiefs also have two Super Bowl victories with Jones anchoring the defense.

But Jones may be out for the beginning of this season at this point. He missed the team's Sunday practice amid the holdout, and he previously said he'd be willing to sit until Week 8.

So for now, the clock slowly ticks to Thursday evening, when the Chiefs will host the Detroit Lions to kick off the 2023 season. As of now, Jones remains on the reserve/did not report list, and that would leave a huge void for Kansas City against an explosive Lions offense that finished fifth in scoring.