The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will be a little shorthanded to start the 2023 NFL season, with Patrick Mahomes and company being without key players on both sides of the football against the Detroit Lions.
Perhaps the most significant loss for the Chiefs heading into this season-opening matchup against the Lions is the absence of star defensive tackle Chris Jones, who’s been unable to see eye-to-eye with Kansas City in terms of getting a new contract done.
Jones missed all of training camp and the NFL preseason, and now it has bled over into the regular season as he will not be on the field for Week 1 on Thursday night in Kansas City.
However, Jones will be in attendance when the Chiefs take on the Lions, according to ProFootballTalk, as he will be watching the game from one of the suites in the stadium at GEHA Field at Arrowhead.
Chris Jones will watch tonight’s game from his stadium suite. https://t.co/U4VGJ9Ufbk
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 7, 2023
Fortunately for the Chiefs, Jones doesn’t seem to be bitter about contract talks, as he’s remained close to the team throughout the process and has repeatedly said that he wants to retire with the team.
It seems as though it will be inevitable that the two sides agree to a deal, but it is taking longer than anticipated.
Along with Jones missing tonight’s game, the Chiefs will be without superstar tight end Travis Kelce, who suffered a knee injury in practice earlier this week and was ruled out of the game earlier today.
The Chiefs will have a tall task ahead of them without two of their best players against a hungry Lions team.
NEXT: Fans React To Today’s News About Travis Kelce
