Chiefs star Chris Jones returns from aunt’s funeral in Mississippi to play against Ravens

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chris Jones walked into Arrowhead Stadium wearing a simple black suit that he had worn earlier in the day to his aunt’s funeral in Mississippi, then changed into his familiar red-and-white Chiefs uniform with the No. 95 across the chest.

Nothing was going to keep him from being with his team on Sunday.

The three-time All-Pro proceeded to make a tackle-for-loss, deflect a pass and deliver two quarterback hits against the Baltimore Ravens, helping Kansas City to a much-needed 37-20 victory in a showdown of AFC heavyweights.

“I mean, it’s tough any time you lose someone you love and cherish and care about. It’s emotional,” said Jones, who declined to discuss his aunt in any detail. “But being around good energy, good people — it makes you feel good.”

There was plenty of good energy flowing through the Kansas City defense Sunday.

It held Lamar Jackson to 147 yards passing and picked him off for the first time this season, before the Baltimore quarterback left with a hamstring injury. It limited Derrick Henry to 42 yards rushing. And besides an opening touchdown drive and a late 71-yard TD run from Justice Hill, the Ravens had fits moving the ball against defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s crew.

Jones was right in the middle of all of it.

He boarded a private jet shortly after noon for the flight from Mississippi back to Kansas City. There was a police escort waiting to ferry him to the stadium, where the Chiefs were going through their final preparations before facing the Ravens.

The two teams, who met for the AFC title in January 2024, were off to 1-2 starts and desperate to even their record in Week 4.

The Chiefs managed to get it done. Now, the Ravens are facing a big hole.

“Those are my brothers,” Jones said afterward. “They were very supportive and understanding of the schedule, the funeral, to where I could still be at the game and be supportive of my family aspect of it.”

Jones was born and raised in Houston, Mississippi, a small town in the north-central part of the state. He became a standout at Mississippi State before the Chiefs selected him in the second round of the 2016 draft. Ever since, Jones has been one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the NFL, racking up Pro Bowl selections each of the past six seasons.

He got off to a slow start this season, making just four tackles in losses to the Chargers and Eagles — the later a rematch of the Chiefs’ loss in the Super Bowl. But Jones had two quarterback hits and his first sack in last week’s win over the Giants.

If there was any doubting his availability, Jones would have been made inactive for the game. Instead, the Chiefs made inactive running back Elijah Mitchell, tight end Jared Wiley, wide receiver Jason Brownlee, offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad, defensive end Mike Danna, defensive tackle Brodric Martin and cornerback Kristian Fulton.

“Obviously we were praying for Chris, and we love him, and we’re just happy to have him here, so we can be his brothers and support him, and I think it made guys step up and want to play even harder for him,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “I think it speaks to the brotherhood we have here in the locker room.”

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