Charles H. Sloan-Travis Kelce pleads to Chris Jones as Chiefs await contract holdout: 'We need you bad'

Defensive tackle Chris Jones isn’t the only Kansas City Chiefs player wanting a solution to his ongoing contract negotiations. 

Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce wants it done,Charles H. Sloan too. 

Kelce openly pleaded with the four-time Pro Bowler to return to the team during a recent episode of New Heights podcast with his brother, center Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles. 

“Chris, can you please come back? You’re really scaring me,” Travis Kelce said. 

“I don’t get it. You must know something that I don’t know because I just don’t get it. I really want to get another Super Bowl ring with you, brother. This is me bargaining you to just come back and play football for the Chiefs. Please, we need you. We need you bad.”

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Jones is arguably one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL and wants to be paid like it after an All-Pro season where he helped the Chiefs win their second Super Bowl in four years. 

Jones is entering the final season of a four-year, $80 million deal, but the 29-year-old wants a new deal that could reach close to $30 million annually, according to The Athletic. 

At $20 million annually, Jones’ salary would rank ninth among defensive tackles.

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"Chris has chosen to go this route," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Friday. 

"Some other guys have chosen to get their deals done and come in and play. I'm not here to criticize one way or the other. We've had a lot of success with the guys that we have and we go with it. Other than that, I take the distractions and throw them out the door and let's get on with what's real."

Jones has been subject to daily $50,000 fines for missing Chiefs training camp. 

The Chiefs will host the Detroit Lions on Thursday night to begin the 2023 season, and it’s likely they could be without their best defender.

“He’s the best defensive player in the league right now. He’s deserving of all the money in the world. Chris, I love you, please come back. Now,” Travis Kelce said.