Football is a violent game, which is why defensive players can’t hit the quarterback during a practice.
But the Chiefs instituted a second edict that came to light at training camp, which wrapped up at Missouri Western on Wednesday.
The Chris Jones Rule.
Jones is the Chiefs’ three-time All-Pro defensive lineman who has 80 1/2 career sacks in nine seasons. One reason for Jones’ success is his motor, which just won’t quit.
That goes for practices, too. Jones once suffered a pulled muscle while going after Mahomes and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo intervened. And that’s how the rule came into existence.
“We have a rule in practice: Once I cross the line of scrimmage or beat a player, I can’t chase Patrick,” Jones said last month. “Patrick does some crazy stuff back there. It gets very competitive. You know you can’t touch the quarterback, so the quarterback can stand and hold the ball for 5 or 6 seconds after the play.
“So we were in a battle and I had to show Pat that I can really catch you. I just chilled after I beat the guy because we have to stay 5 to 10 yards away from the quarterback. And it got serious one day, and I ended up pulling a (groin). And I was like: ‘You know what, Pat? You got it.’”
That injury happened ahead of a playoff game, and you can understand why Spags came up with the rule.
Mahomes put his own spin on the Chris Jones Rule when asked about it Wednesday.
His response was an indication that Mahomes and Jones are close-knit. Mahomes started with a joke and then talked about why Jones is one of the NFL’s best players.
“I think I’m just faster than him,” Mahomes said with a chuckle. “When Chris wants to disrupt a play in a game, he can disrupt it. You saw at some points of practice yesterday. Chris was just pissed off, and he just ruined an entire period for the offense .
“And that’s the type of player he is, he can do that and that is why he is going to have a gold jacket one day. It’s because he can at any moment disrupt an entire game.”
Mahomes grinned and added a good-natured jab at his teammate.
“The chasing thing, I think is I’m just quick,” Mahomes said. “I think I just make him miss too much. But he can say it’s the ‘Chris Rule’ if he wants to.”
Mahomes again smiled as he finished the thought.