KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After most Chiefs wins, Chris Jones steps to the podium in the bowels of GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium spirited and carefree, but things were different Sunday after a 37-20 victory against the Baltimore Ravens.
You’ll have to forgive Jones, who was dressed in a black suit and tie, if he looked and sounded like a man at a funeral, because he literally had flown back from his aunt’s services in Mississippi in the hours before the game.
“Early on in the game, it kind of weighs heavy on your shoulders,” Jones said of the toll the day exacted, “but football is my escape, where I can escape from the reality of what's really going on and just have fun, be like a kid in the backyard playing football again.”
Watch Chris talk about the day in the video player below.
Jones plays with the exuberance of an oversized kid and he celebrated hard during Sunday’s win — when he tipped a Lamar Jackson pass for an incompletion, when he made a tackle for a loss, or when he got pressure on Jackson with the pass rush.
“It was a lot, overcome with emotions, but it felt fun to be back on the field with my brothers,” Jones said.
Jones declined to share any personal remembrance of his aunt, but he confirmed that he returned home Saturday and “came back after the funeral today.”
He was scheduled to land back in Kansas City around 2:40 p.m., roughly 45 minutes before kickoff.
“Yeah, it was close,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Listen, he had to do what he had to do there. I mean, that's not something you plan on or anything else. So, you take care of that first, and then the game kind of comes secondary when you start dealing with life and death.”
Unsurprisingly, when Jones’ name was announced and he emerged from the tunnel during pregame introductions, the Arrowhead crowd did its best to wrap him in a hug with its cheers.
“I always feel the love in Arrowhead,” Jones said. “It's always a lot of energy, a lot of love and excitement.”
But Chiefs Kingdom wasn’t the only group excited to see Jones on Sunday. His teammates also were pumped.
“You see him walk in the locker room — the playmaker that he is, just the energizing personality that he is — it definitely just energized us and got the guys going,” linebacker Leo Chenal said. “Obviously, we're praying for him, and it's a difficult time, but, you know, it's good to have him back.”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes added, “Obviously, we were praying for Chris and we love him. We're just happy to have him here, so that we can be his brothers and support him. I think it made guys step up and want to play even harder for him, because, for him to want to be back here with us in the times that he's in right now, it speaks to the brotherhood that we have in the locker room.”
Jones acknowledged the support he’s received in the locker room.
“It's a lot of love,” he said. “Those are my brothers. I love being around them. ... Anytime you lose a loved one or someone you love and cherish and care about, it's emotional. Emotions are everywhere. It's tough. But you know, being around good energy, good people, it makes you feel good.”
After taking care of one family, he was happy for the distraction with another.
“Being able to feel the fun, feel the love, the energy in Arrowhead Stadium, from my brothers, the fans — I wanted to get away from the sentimental part of it and just have fun,” Jones said.
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