Why Chiefs’ Chris Jones Is Still An Elite Player

The verdict is in: Kansas City Chiefs veteran defensive tackle Chris Jones is one of the best players in the National Football League going into the 2025 campaign. As if this wasn't a shock. According to the Top 100 player rankings going into the campaign, Jones finds himself in 12th.

Jones has been an elite force on the Chiefs' defensive line for several seasons, as the multi-time Super Bowl champion has been a backbone for the franchise. Last season, Jones was ranked the sixth-best player going into the year, so he will have some work to do to climb back into the Top 10.

NFL Top 100 Players of 2025:@Chiefs DT Chris Jones checks in at No. 12! @NFLFilms pic.twitter.com/nffeQmLaO5
— NFL (@NFL) August 29, 2025

The former second-round draft pick in the 2016 NFL Draft has surpassed 300 total career tackles and has collected 80.5 quarterback sacks in that time span. But when looking at his 2023 season compared to his 2024 season, there is a clear setback in why Jones fell out of the Top 10.

But that doesn't mean he's any else than he ever was.

2023 Season

Jan 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) reacts after a sack against the Houston Texans during the first quarter of a 2025 AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

In 2023, Jones collected 10.5 quarterback sacks in 16 games played, making him one of the better defensive tackles in the NFL. With a season like that, and better seasons having been played in the past, expectations were high for Jones last year, but his age might have shown for the first time in his career.

Last Year

In 2024, Jones' quarterback sack total was cut in half, as he totaled five for the season. However, he did have more combined tackles, but the aggressiveness from 2023 wasn't as apparent. But at the end of the day, Jones' place within the Top 20 was never in question.

"Chris Jones recorded the second-most pressures (61) among defensive tackles this season, with 26 (most) coming in under 2.5 seconds. Jones averaged the quickest get off at his position (0.85 seconds resulting in the fourth-quickest time to pressure (2.67 seconds) among defensive tackles with at least 15 pressures this season," the NFL wrote.

So long as Jones stays healthy, as he has throughout his career, the Chiefs' defensive outlook should be in good hands. Knowing that 40-plus tackles are achievable for Jones, expectations will once again be high for one of the more successful Chiefs in recent memory.

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