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.
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.
