Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones inked his ginormous new contract following his third Super Bowl victory.
The 29-year-old said on Tuesday that he never had designs on leaving K.C.
"For me, that was the plan from the beginning," Jones told reporters, via the team's official transcript. "You know, since you guys drafted me, I never planned to play for another organization -- better yet, end the year with another organization after coming off of a Super Bowl win. Deep down, I felt like I was never leaving and (I'm) super appreciative for the Hunt family and the Chiefs organization for making sure I retire a Chief."
Jones signed a five-year, $158.75 million deal with $101 million in guarantees, edging out Aaron Donald as the NFL's highest-paid defensive tackle.
Last offseason, Jones and the Chiefs couldn't agree on a multi-year contract, leading to his training camp holdout, which included missing Week 1's loss to Detroit. Sides eventually found common ground on a one-year solution, setting up the stage for this offseason's big deal.
After Jones keyed a defense that helped propel K.C. to back-to-back titles, his payday was bound to happen.
Heading into his 30s, Jones and the Chiefs are confident his play won't fall off after the new big-money contract.
"Every year I just chase greatness," he said. "I don't think (any) amount of money is going to change my love and passion for the game of football no matter how successful I'll be. I'm always chasing greater heights. So, I think the Chiefs understand and see my perspective of the game and how much I love the game of football."
