Chiefs’ Travis Kelce to All-Pro DT Chris Jones amid holdout: ‘Can you please come back?’
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Chiefs’ Travis Kelce is imploring fellow All-Pro Chris Jones to end his holdout, which the defensive tackle has carried through training camp and right into the preparations for Kansas City’s opener next week against the Detroit Lions.
On his “New Heights” podcast with his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, the Chiefs tight end said “I don’t get it” in reference to Jones’ holdout. Jones is entering the final year of his $80 million, four-year contract and has been looking for a long-term deal that would make him the second-highest paid defensive tackle in the league.
“Chris, you’re really scaring me, man. Can you please come back?” Kelce said on the podcast. “You must know something I don’t know because I just don’t get it. I really want to win another Super Bowl ring with you, brother.
“This is me bargaining with you to just come back and play football for the Chiefs.”
After a long period of little communication, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said this week that talks had picked up between the club and Jones’ representatives. Veach even said he is “certainly hopeful” that Jones would report to the Chiefs in time to be available for Thursday night’s NFL opener against Detroit at Arrowhead Stadium.
Time is running out, though. The Chiefs’ coaching staff began game-week preparations Friday, and the bulk of their game plan will be introduced during practices Sunday and Monday before a lighter workout Tuesday.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid was asked Friday about Jones’ holdout and whether it could lead to locker room dissension.
“Listen, everybody makes their own decisions. That’s the way it is in life. That’s the way it is in football,” Reid replied. “Certain guys do it one way. Certain guys do it another way. Chris has chosen to go this route; some other guys have chosen to get their deals done and come in and play. I’m not here to criticize one way or another.”
The Chiefs could certainly use Jones on the field. The 29-year-old defensive tackle had 15 1/2 sacks for them last season to lead an otherwise modest pass rush, helping Kansas City win its second Vince Lombardi Trophy in the past four years.
Seahawks S Adams won’t be ready for Week 1
SEATTLE – The Seattle Seahawks won’t have safety Jamal Adams back in time for the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Pete Carroll told a Seattle radio station on Friday.
Speaking on 93.3 KJR-FM, Carroll said Adams won’t be ready for Week 1 as he continues his recovery from a torn quadriceps tendon suffered in the 2022 season opener. Adams was activated off the physically unable to perform list last week but has mostly just taken part in walkthrough practices.
Carroll also indicated that rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon may miss the opener as well due to a lingering hamstring injury. Witherspoon, taken with the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, missed significant time during training camp while dealing with the hamstring issue.
“Devon’s not quite back yet,” Carroll said. “It’s going to be a race to the opener. Might not make that. But we’re shooting for very soon.”
Jets and Rodgers driving betting action at sportsbooks
LAS VEGAS – The arrival of Aaron Rodgers and the HBO show “Hard Knocks” made the New York Jets the talk of the NFL preseason, and they are a hot topic among bettors as well.
At BetMGM, which is available in 25 states and Washington D.C., the Jets have had the most money bet among AFC teams at 16.9%, and they have had the most tickets in the AFC East at 28.8%.
Caesars Entertainment, which also is available in half the states and D.C., lists the Jets as its biggest financial liability. They trail only the Cincinnati Bengals in number of betting tickets written on them to win the Super Bowl and are behind only the Philadelphia Eagles on the amount wagered.
The Jets holding up the Lombardi Trophy doesn’t carry quite the same liability at BetMGM, which moved its Super Bowl odds on New York from 25-1 to 18-1 before the Rodgers trade was finalized. BetMGM sports trader Seamus Magee said the betting especially picked up on the Jets after “Hard Knocks” began to air and Rodgers led a touchdown drive in a preseason game against the New York Giants last Saturday.
Just because there is a lot of action on the Jets doesn’t mean everyone putting down money thinks they’re going to win the Super Bowl. They’ve had the third-most wagers to hit the under on total wins (9 1/2) at BetMGM as well as the most bets and money to miss the playoffs.