Defensive lineman Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs is used to being in the spotlight, but lately it’s for all the wrong reasons. Jones is usually being praised for his game-wrecking capabilities and the time he spends in opponents’ backfields, but this year he’s been called out for quitting on plays and not getting enough sacks. 

“The first half of the season for me was challenging to say the least, but we’ve got eight more games to play,” Jones said in a story written by Jesse Newell of The Athletic. “There’s a lot of football left, and a lot of things can happen.”

The numbers help explain the “challenging” aspect of Jones’ comment. According to Next Get Stats, the lineman’s pressure rate percentage is down to 8.1 this year, as compared to 12 percent last year. He hasn’t been under 11.8 since 2018, so this is uncharted territory for the Chiefs star. 

His “quick pressures” down, too. According to that advanced metric, he had 26 last year, but this year he’s down to just nine. His sack numbers are usually in the teens, but he has a lot of work to get there this year. 

Then there’s Jones’ contract. He’s in the second year of a five-year deal that guarantees him $95 million, so this isn’t exactly what the Chiefs were expecting. They were expecting him to age gracefully, but the drops the Chiefs are seeing have to be alarming to the front office. 

Coach Andy Reid knows his job, however. He needs to step up and make excuses for Jones, then hope he can come up big against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. 

“That’s what has made him such a good player,” Reid said of Jones’ past performance. “He’s the guy that (defenses) are going to focus on, and if you’re getting a double-team, that’s who’s getting doubled. He’ll get his as we go forward. It’s just important that he stays consistent and keeps working hard.”

Jones has shown signs of emerging from his season-long slumber now that November football is here, however. Newell cites a typical Jones play in the loss to the Buffalo Bills in which Jones drove quarterback Josh Allen right into the arms of linebacker Leo Chenal for an important sack. 

“Every makeup of every team is different, and every marathon is different every year,” Jones said. “Sometimes you start ahead of the race, you start on that No. 1 line. And sometimes you’ve got to start out back.

“But for us, most importantly, it’s about the climb.”