That escalated quickly.
It was reported earlier on Tuesday that the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs were nearing a mega extension with star defensive tackle Chris Jones.
According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, that’s now come to fruition.
Chiefs sign Chris Jones to whopping four-year, $85 million extension
This deal makes Jones the second highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history behind Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams. It comes with him having been set to earn just north of $16.1 million under the franchise tag in 2020.
Chris Jones is more than worth the money
Jones, 26, has been a dominant pass-rushing defensive lineman in recent seasons. Since the start of the 2018 campaign, the Mississippi State product has recorded 49 quarterback hits, 27 tackles for loss and 24.5 sacks. He was one of the primary reasons Kansas City earned the title last season.
Chiefs continue to lock up big-name players
The Jones deal comes shortly after reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes inked a contract with Kansas City that could pay him north of $500 million.
It’s a rarity in today’s NFL to see a team spend this much cash in retaining two core players over such a short period of time.
But it’s obvious Kansas City likes what it has. Locking up Jones for another four years adds another layer to that.