Dan Campbell says Chris Jones’ availability is the last thing he’s worried about vs. Chiefs
The Detroit Lions may just have caught a break for their Week 1 game at Arrowhead Stadium. Chris Jones, a cornerstone of the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense, has found himself on the Reserve/Did Not Report list, a consequence of his failure to turn up at the team facilities on time. The move suggests that Jones might continue his holdout, potentially missing the Chiefs Week 1 matchup against the Lions. On Friday morning Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell joined the crew on the Stoney & Jansen Show, and he took a nonchalant stance on the situation.
What did Dan Campbell say about Chris Jones?
Here is what Campbell said this morning on 97.1 The Ticket: (Quotes via Sports Illustrated)
“I’m not monitoring.”It doesn’t matter. He’s either there or he’s not,” said Campbell. “If he is, he plays 15 plays that are all on third-down, and we’ll be ready. Otherwise, he’s not there and we just keep going.
“That’s out of our control and they’ve got more than one guy on defense over there. This is a fast unit on defense,” Campbell explained further. “They played together a number of years. Spaggs (Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnolo) has done a hell of a job. They’ll bring a lot of different looks, pressure looks. When they have an offense that can put up a lot of points, that alleviates stress on your defense. So, they got plenty of ammo over there defensively. I know what kind of player he is when he’s in there. But I mean, he’s the last thing I’m worried about right now. Until he’s in the building, it’s not a concern.”
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- Chris Jones, a key defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, is currently on a holdout and has been placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report list. His continuing absence suggests he might not participate in the season opener against the Detroit Lions.
- Despite the uncertainty surrounding Jones’ participation, the Lions’ head coach, Dan Campbell, remains undeterred. He conveyed his stance on 97.1 The Ticket, emphasizing readiness irrespective of Jones’ decision.
- Campbell gave due credit to the Chiefs’ defense as a whole, highlighting their coordination, adaptability, and prowess under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnolo. While acknowledging Jones’ skill set, Campbell’s message is clear: the Lions are looking at the bigger defensive picture of the Chiefs and not fixating on one player.
Bottom Line: The Big Picture
One thing is for certain, Chris Jones can be a force for the Kansas City Chiefs when he is on the field. But, that being said, Dan Campbell is right to not put a ton of his energy into one opposing player. Football is the ultimate team game, and if Jones is available, the Lions will be ready. If he’s not, they will also be ready for that. The real bottom line is that we are less than a week away from DETROIT LIONS FOOTBALL!!!
