Chiefs News: Chris Jones knows defense cannot afford complacency

The Kansas City Chiefs are defending Super Bowl champions primarily due to an unexpectedly dominant defense that finished second in 2023 in points allowed per game.

As defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit gears up to help Kansas City deliver the NFL’s first three-peat bid, a ghost of the coach’s past looms large. Spagnuolo’s 2016 New York Giants defense also finished as the league’s second-ranked unit. A year later, his squad plummeted to 27th in the 2017 rankings.

After Wednesday’s practice from the team’s mandatory minicamp, star defensive tackle Chris Jones confirmed his coach’s prior failure to build on success is fresh on the team’s minds.

“He actually showed us on the bulletin board today,” Jones stated of Spagnuolo’s approach, “about how they were ranked second and went to [27th]. Just the complacency level — it’s so easy to get complacent. It’s so easy to get to ‘we’ll fix it later,’ especially when you come off of such a high. You always want to keep that pressure applied and make sure you’re challenging each other at the highest level.”

A year ago, Jones was absent for the mandatory minicamp during a contract-related holdout that lasted a week into the regular season. Now entering his ninth campaign, he recognizes the importance of the offseason’s organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp for team unity.

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“I think most importantly,” he explained, “OTAs is about building continuity with the team. Chemistry — that’s a huge part of it when you have a lot of young guys, getting them acclimated to how we practice [and] the speed of practice.

“Just being able to be around the guys and compete, most importantly. We kind of miss that aspect of it. We’ve been off since February 13.”

One young player who should already be acclimated to the team’s practice routines is defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah. The team’s first-round selection in 2023 played sparingly during his rookie season due to a deep defensive line room.

Jones knows the Kansas State product did not see the field as much as he would have liked to in his first season, but the star believes his teammate is on the right track.

“I think more so last year was a learning process for him,” Jones stated. “There’s pros and cons to that. The pro is you can watch guys that are succeeding right now and take a little bit from all of them. The con to it is you don’t play as much as you want to.

“I think this year is all about his mind frame: attacking every day, spending that 10 to 15 minutes after practice (or before practice) working on his pass rush, working on things he can get better, watching extra film. And I think he been taking hindsight to that. I actually gave him a pat on the back today about how his approach has been since I’ve been here, and we’re looking forward to training camp.”

Anudike-Uzomah’s reaching his first-round potential would benefit Jones’ stated offseason goal of 20 sacks in 2024. Jones knows he will not be able to reach the milestone alone.

“Everything,” he replied when asked about what he will need. “God, luck, some unselfish teammates, and sack nation. It’s just tough as hell, but I’m going to do it.”

A 20-sack season would cement what is already likely a Hall of Fame-worthy career for the 2016 second-round draft selection out of Mississippi State. On Tuesday, tight end Travis Kelce addressed his now annual retirement speculation. The longest-tenured defender is no more ready to put a timeframe on his career than his fellow team legend.

“What the hell?” Jones joked. “He’s retiring this year? What do you mean? I don’t think about it. Once you begin to think about things like that, you get into feeding the mind those types of thoughts.

“I don’t want my mind to even go that far to the R-word. Trav — he’s f—king pretty old. I’m just playing Trav, I love you. Trav, he’s got four or five years in him. What is he even talking about retirement for? We can’t let TK’s soul go. It’s like, if we retire, we’ve got to retire together. Give me at least six more years, then we’ll talk about it.”

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Playing six more years will take Jones beyond the monster five-year, $158.8 million pact he signed in March. While Jones’ achieved a financial goal more than a year in the making, he did not seem totally eager to return to the team’s training camp starting in July at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

“From a mental health aspect,” he observed of his mindset, “I’m here. Last year, I wasn’t. I’ve got to report to training camp. Last year, I didn’t. My mental is like, ‘S—t, I’ve got to stay in the dorm.’ Last year, I didn’t. I slept in my bed.

“It’s a mental challenge, but overall, I’m in a good state of mind. I’m happy to be here. Happy to be back on the team with Kansas City. I’m happy to be back with the organization. I think it’s a plus for both of us. I’m excited to be back here.”