Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones is taking some heat for his interaction with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts at the conclusion of Sunday’s game, adding some controversy to a bitter defeat.
The Chiefs had held the Eagles mostly in check on offense, but fell victim to some untimely mistakes and a grinding defensive effort from the Eagles. Jones pointed out the lack of production to Hurts at the conclusion of the game, an interaction that backfired on the Chiefs star almost immediately.
Jalen Hurts Claps Back at Chris Jones
After the Eagles recovered an onside kick and converted a first down late in the fourth quarter, Hurts lined up in the victory formation to take a pair of final kneel-downs to put the finishing touches on the 20-17 victory. The Fox broadcast of the game caught Jones taunting Hurts before one of the final plays, pointing out his low passing yardage.
“You don’t even have 100 yards,” Jones could be heard saying.
As he prepared to take the snap, Hurts shot back.
“We won the [expletive] game. Shut your [explstive] up,” he said.
The interaction drew some strong pushback, especially after the loss pushed the Chiefs into unfamiliar territory. This marks the first 0-2 start of Patrick Mahomes’ career and the first time the team has lost its first two games since 2014, the first year that Andy Reid took over as head coach.
Reporter Robert Zeglinski of USA Today’s For the Win said it was out of character for Jones, who is otherwise known as a tough competitor focused only on winning.
“If I’m being candid, I’m a little surprised Jones would make this comment amid his team’s loss,” Zeglinski wrote. “Hurts’ statistics don’t mean anything if the Eagles come away with the victory. That’s not the sort of commentary or mentality I would expect from a likely future Hall of Famer while the Chiefs struggle to get their 2025 season off the ground.”
Jones may have felt some frustration after a series of controversial plays helped push the Eagles to victory. Replays showed that Philadelphia’s offensive line regularly lined up offseason and got off to an early start on “tush push” plays. The apparent penalties drew the ire of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who pleaded with officials to no avail during the game.
Jalen Hurts Credits Entire Team for Win
Hurts took note of the total team effort, telling reporters after the game that the defense played great while the offense did enough to win.
“Take pride in winning, one, and take pride in what is required of you, two,” Hurts said. “The team defensively played lights-out. Offensively we played well when we needed to. And we just need to continue to build.”
The Chiefs now take on the New York Giants in Week 3, looking to get back on track and avoid what could be a disastrous start. The Chiefs have already fallen two games behind the Buffalo Bills, the team that finished just behind them for the No. 2 seed last season.