Joe Brady paid the highest compliment possible recently to Chris Jones.
Ahead of the AFC championship game, the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator was asked why it’s so tough to run against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I mean, to start, they have the best player in football, right? Best defensive player in football: Chris Jones,” Brady said. “He is as dynamic as they come.”
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones speaks with Bills quarterback Josh Allen after the AFC championship game.
Joshua Bessex, Buffalo News
Jones had a pair of quarterback hits in the Chiefs’ 32-29 victory, adding another chapter to Buffalo’s postseason failures against Kansas City. On the field after the game, the Chiefs’ defensive tackle shared a long embrace with Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins.
“Much love,” Jones said to Dawkins. “Y’all got the team, bro. Man, that was a hell of a battle.”
During Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday, Jones was asked if he could say something nice to Bills fans.
“Yeah. I love the Bills fans,” he said. “I wish the Bills’ organization the best. Absolutely respect their quarterback – I think he was the MVP this year. They’ve got a heck of a team, man. I absolutely respect their head coach.”
As odd as it seems, one of the best players on the Bills’ most bitter rival has become a defender of Buffalo.
When Joe Thuney starts for Kansas City on Sunday night, it will be his sixth Super Bowl appearance and he could earn his fifth Super Bowl ring.
That started in early November, when Miami was set to play its annual game in Orchard Park. Last summer, Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith appeared on “The Dive Bar Podcast” and called Buffalo “the worst place you can be in the world,” adding, “The buffalo wings ain’t even good. I’m throwing all types of shots at Buffalo.”
Jones responded to that on social media saying: “He lying. Bar Bill wings go crazy.”
Speaking Thursday during the Chiefs’ media availability at the New Orleans Marriott, Jones expanded on his respect for the Bills, saying it starts with Josh Allen.
“Josh Allen is a heck of a player. He’s the heart and soul of their organization,” Jones said. “They’ve built around him. I think they had one of the better years since he’s been in the league. He’s eliminated turnovers. He used to have a high turnover ratio. Now he’s eliminated turnovers, been more methodical with the ball. They’re a tough team. I have so much respect for the Bills organization.”
Jones, 30, is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and has been named a first-team All-Pro in each of the past three years, during which he’s made 31 regular-season sacks. Over the course of his nine-year career, Jones has 80½ sacks, 195 quarterback hits and 87 tackles for loss in 138 regular-season games. He’s likely to end up with a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame when his playing career is finished, and likely will be a big part of any potential three-peat by the Chiefs on Sunday in Super Bowl LIX.
“Chris is a once-in-a-lifetime talent with his size and explosiveness and the way he plays the game,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said Thursday. “People usually have to account for him differently, and we recognize that. Sometimes, that opens things up for our other guys. I think everybody who plays around him appreciates the fact we have Chris Jones on our team.”
Bills fans may not love it because of the damage he’s done against their team, but they surely should appreciate the respect Jones has continually shown to Buffalo.
“We’ve played those guys, since I’ve been in the league – we’ve played them for the last six or seven years. We’ve created a healthy rivalry,” he said. “There is (always) a lot depending on that game, whether it’s seeding, whether it’s placement in your division, a lot goes into the game when we play the Bills. It’s become a healthy rivalry, and I think we all look forward to it.”
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