After Holding Out At The Start Of Last Season To Bet On Himself, Chris Jones Just Landed A $160 Million Contract

ByJoey Heldon March 14, 2024inArticles›Sports News

Chris Jones is having a fantastic 2024. He earned an extra $1.25 million with a sack in the last game of the regular season. His Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl for the second year in a row, and Jones contributed four tackles, six pressures, and half a stuff en route to the victory. And now, he just signed a massive contract to stick around Kansas City for the long term.

Jones and the Chiefs agreed to a five-year, $158.75 million deal, which includes $95 million in guarantees over the first three seasons. The deal will put Jones among the highest-earning defensive tackles ever in terms of average annual value ($31.75 million).

It’s a classic example of a player betting on himself to great success.

After Holding Out At The Start Of Last Season To Bet On Himself, Chris Jones Just Landed A $160 Million Contract - 1

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Less than a year ago, Jones and the Chiefs couldn’t settle on contract terms. The sides were so far apart that Jones sat out of training camp. He even missed the team’s first game of the season, a one-point loss against the Detroit Lions.

Eventually, Jones agreed to a one-year deal. It was essentially a “prove it” year. If he put up big numbers, he had more leverage for a lucrative contract. So what did Jones do?

He posted 10.5 sacks and 4 pass deflections en route to his fifth-straight Pro Bowl selection and second time earning first-team All-Pro.

The Chiefs didn’t waste any time this offseason. They had seen enough from Jones to know they wanted to keep him around for several more years. At 29, he likely has several productive seasons ahead of him. But if injuries or a steep decline warrant the Chiefs releasing Jones, he’s still in line for nearly nine figures over the next three seasons. He proved himself—and then some.

So now, both sides are happy once again. With a long-term deal in his pocket, Jones will attempt to win a third straight Super Bowl — which would also set another NFL record.

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If The Chiefs Don’t Sign Guard Trey Smith To A New Contract, He’ll Make More Than Any Other Player At His Position Next Season

ByJoey Heldon July 14, 2025inArticles›Sports News

The Kansas City Chiefs are racing against the clock. No, it’s not Patrick Mahomes leading a two-minute drill for a chance to win a game at the last second. Instead, it’s a decision on whether to extend right guard Trey Smith to a long-term contract. The team will have to make a tough choice either way.

If the Chiefs offer Smith a multi-year deal, it will likely hamstring them beyond this season. But if Kansas City doesn’t get a contract done before 4 p.m. Eastern time on July 15, Smith will make $23.4 million this season—more than any other guard in the NFL.

Ironically, Smith might end up losing out on long-term money because of the man he’s paid to protect. Mahomes has a cap hit of $28 million on a base salary of $1.2 million this upcoming season. In 2026, he’ll make $45.3 million in salary, with a $78.2 million cap hit. That’s quite the leap.

After Holding Out At The Start Of Last Season To Bet On Himself, Chris Jones Just Landed A $160 Million Contract - 2

Ric Tapia/Getty Images

Smith might end up as an odd man out as the Chiefs consider their financial future. He’ll for sure be in Kansas City this season; the Chiefs used the franchise tag on their star guard, who’s won two Super Bowls with the team since being drafted in 2021. That franchise tag has that steep cost of $23.4 million to lock Smith in for the year.

Earlier this offseason, the Chiefs traded All-Pro guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears. That could potentially open up room for negotiation with Smith, though Kansas City could also look toward other options that wouldn’t be as costly.

Smith was a sixth-round selection out of Tennessee and has been a key piece in Kansas City’s success over the past half-decade. He’s started in all 67 games he’s played, only missing one contest in four seasons and earning his first Pro Bowl nod last year. He also had a role in the Hallmark Channel movie “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” This movie has a prominent section in the Hallmark Visitors Center, should you ever find yourself in Kansas City.

Will a role in such a film keep Smith around long-term? Likely not, but it’s a fun bit of trivia. In the meantime, he’ll look to help the Chiefs return to the Super Bowl—and hopefully score a big deal in the process.

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