Kansas City Chiefs defensive linemen Chris Jones revealed after the Week 8 win over the New York Giants that he has been battling through a significant wrist injury this season, one that will potentially require surgery during the offseason.
Jones first popped up on the injury report after the team’s Week 2 game against the Baltimore Ravens. He was limited in practice all week ahead of the Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, but he ultimately chose to play through the injury.
“Well, I ended up tearing some ligaments in my wrist and I tried to play through it,” Jones told reporters after the game. “I don’t make no excuses for myself. I tried to play through it and realized that I couldn’t play to my full potential while playing through it. I thought it was best to just take a couple of weeks off and let it heal.”
Torn and partially torn wrist ligaments can heal in 2-10 weeks, but the rough nature of the NFL game means that Jones is at risk of reinjury on any given down. He sat out in Week 5 and Week 6, but was back in action against the Titans in Week 7 and right back at it again in Week 8 after missing the first two days of practice.
“Thankfully, the team agreed,” Jones continued. “We came to an agreement and I feel a lot better now. I’m able to do some things that I wasn’t able to do when it initially happened and I feel good. I feel great to be back on the field with my brothers.”
Jones says he’s feeling good, or at least better than he did after the Week 3 game against the Chargers. He’ll likely need maintenance days for the remainder of the season to ensure that his wrist is healing and not worsening. Asked whether he was “100 percent” in his return to the field, Jones was honest with reporters about the outlook for the season.
“I wouldn’t say 100 percent,” Jones said. “I don’t think I’ll be 100 percent this season. It’s a long brutal season. Every game you get a knick or a knack. So, I’m good enough to play to the best of my ability and any time I’m able to do that I can be a problem.”
In this game, he showed just the type of problem he can be. Jones and Frank Clark claimed the Week 8 victory with back-to-back sacks of Giants QB Daniel Jones, something that at one point was a signature for this defense. A reporter asked, “Is sack nation back?”
Jones’ response felt very appropriate.
“I don’t think we ever left,” Jones said. “Like I was telling my teammates, it’s a marathon. It’s a long season you know, we’ve still got another half-season to go. We can be the best half-season you guys have ever seen. . .”
[listicle id=108094]