Chris Jones has made his feelings known on participating in the NFL preseason.
The Kansas City Chiefs star defensive tackle addressed the media on Thursday ahead of the team’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams on August 15.
The six-time All-Pro spoke of his disdain for having the expected starting players take to the field, and sent a clear message to head coach Andy Reid that he would rather not be out there if the decision were up to him.
“Why play the starters? I mean, it’s so much risk you’re taking to play the starters at preseason,” Jones told reporters Thursday.
“I hope Coach Reid be like, you know, let the starters don’t play, you know?
“But also, it’s getting reps, repetition. We’ve been playing against each other. It’s good to get repetition, but I don’t want to play preseason.
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“I’d rather not play, but if I do have to play, I’m going to buckle up.”
Jones has been an integral member of the Chiefs’ defensive line that has made five Super Bowl appearances in the past seven seasons, winning three.
Now aged 32 and entering Year 11 in the NFL, Jones is more cautious in his approach to the 2026 regular season, wanting to avoid the risk of suffering an injury before proceedings really get underway.
Jones also highlighted how if Reid were to send him out onto the field, then he would rather come up against the Rams’ starters – like he will do in Week 13 – than play against those fighting for a place on the final 53-man roster.
“The mentality is like, I want to play against their starters, you know what I mean?” Jones added.
“I want to play against the guys that are going to be starting on Sunday because, one, you like to weigh yourself out — where I’m at, where I improve — and give me your best talent.
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“So it kind of can change the dynamic. But anytime we get on that field, you’ve got to give your best.
Will Patrick Mahomes play in preseason?
While it is unclear whether the likes of Jones, and other bonafide starters including Travis Kelce, will take to the field against the Rams on Saturday, one player who has been ruled out of the contest is quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“The way the rotation will go is Pat won’t start or play,” Reid said. “So it’ll be Justin [Fields] and then [Garrett] Nussmeier, and then Chris [Oladokun[ will take it from there.
“We’ll just see how the reps go as we work through that.”
The two-time NFL MVP’s omission comes as no surprise to anybody as he continues to battle against the test of time to make it to Week 1 despite coming off a torn ACL and LCL injury in Week 15 of last season just nine months ago.
Although he is eager to return to the field, Mahomes had previously acknowledged that he will do whatever Coach Reid felt was best for both him, and the team.
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“I’m for whatever coach says,” Mahomes said on Saturday. “Like I said, I’m going to prepare to play. He hasn’t told me anything, so I’ll prepare to play and prepare to get myself ready.
“We’ll see where we go from there and if not, I’ll be as locked in as I am during the game and try to get myself as ready to go [as possible] for the game.
“It’s just a process of trying to make sure you’re ready for the season and whatever coach thinks is best, I’ll do it.”
With Mahomes out of action, all signs point to Fields taking to the field as the starter for the first time in a Chiefs uniform, while the coaching staff will also be taking the opportunity to look at the rest of the depth chart as well.
