Chris Jones gives credit to Chiefs teammates and chemistry

At the Super Bowl, Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones says his success as a pass rusher is due to his teammates and coaches.

Chris Jones is about to receive his reward.

This year is a big one for Jones, the star defensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs. Not only is Jones gearing up to play in the Super Bowl, Jones is also on the verge of hitting unrestricted free agency. That means Jones is about to make himself a lot of money either via the franchise tag or a long-term extension in the coming months.

It’s unofficial yet whether or not that will all happen in Kansas City, but time will tell soon enough on those decisions. No matter what happens, Jones, the Pro Bowler, will be a rich man, making good on what he’s called Sack Nation for some time.

During Super Bowl week on Monday, Chiefs players opened things up with a media session that included a wide range of interviews with coaches and players in Miami. Jones used the opportunity to talk to reporters about the credit that the Chiefs locker room deserves when it comes to his personal success.

“Without my brothers, there would be no Sack Nation. There would be no Chris Jones,” he said.

“Without a guy like Frank Clark, I can look down the line and know he’s running wild and crazy, or Terrell Suggs, who is always dropping knowledge and his influence on the game that helped me moreso in my mental game, or the young guys, who are looking up to me and I know I have to give my all because they’re watching my every move, and my coach BD [Brendan Daly], who is looking at my every move. I may go one step too fast and he’s cussing me out about it.

“Things like that will help me better my game,” he said.

Jones has enjoyed a steady rise in production and popularity in the game, and it’s yet unclear what his ceiling is exactly. Last season, he set a team record for consecutive games with a sack at 11 and he closed the year with 15.5. This season, his total dropped to 9 sacks, but Jones suffered a midseason injury and yet still looked every bit as disruptive as before.

The Chiefs faced questions as to whether or not Jones would fit with expensive import Frank Clark along the defensive front in Steve Spagnuolo’s new system, but the tandem have wreaked havoc on opposing offenses all year long. The Chiefs current eight-game win streak has only highlighted their partnership even more.

Jones credits the team’s chemistry as essential for their success, a team on the verge of making history in its first Super Bowl in 50 years.

“We have a great locker room setting where we’re able to interact with one another. The chemistry is so crazy on this team. Anybody will talk to anybody. It’s not like the offense’s side or the defense’s side. We all kind of mix and match and everybody will communicate with anyone. That’s a pivotal thing on this team that will help us move forward is the chemistry,” he said.

Will the Chiefs want to disrupt that chemistry by sending Jones packing to avoid another large cap hit along the defensive line? Those issues will be saved for one more week. For now, Sack Nation lives in K.C. and is going to enjoy one more guaranteed ride onto the field with the team and teammates he appreciates so much—this one for all the glory.