The last few weeks of victories for the Kansas City Chiefs have seen them rise to the top of the AFC. During that time, though, the team has battled without several star players as they dealt with the COVID-19 outbreak.
Pro Bowl defensive lineman Chris Jones was one of the Chiefs players forced to miss the Week 15 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers. Jones was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list after a positive test and was unable to be cleared in time for the Thursday night game. The All-Pro shared his thoughts on missing out on the game and what it was like to return to action.
“It was very tough dealing with the situation,” Jones told reporters on Wednesday. “Especially not being able to play the game I love so much and being out there competing with my brothers in a divisional game. (It was) a very important game where I felt like I could’ve been used, but on the bright side, we went out there, we competed, we played hard, and we were able to solidify a win.”
Earlier this week, The NFL and NFL Players Association agreed to modify their joint COVID-19 protocols, cutting the standard isolation period after a positive test for asymptomatic individuals from 10 days to five days regardless of vaccination status. Players would still need to be cleared by doctors before officially returning to action.
While a quicker return-to-play time looks good on the outside, Jones is well aware of the troubles players can face when they return. Patrick Mahomes said that Tyreek Hill, who was also coming off the Reserve/COVID-19 list, was “exhausted” during Week 16. Beyond the challenges of returning from a respiratory illness, Jones says the absence also takes you out of your groove as a player.
“This COVID thing is a challenge and situation, man,” said Jones. “You’re forced to miss so many days, and you come back, and you try to be in a rhythm. It kind of takes you out of your rhythm, so you’ve got to find that balance right there. You’ve also got to be in tune with the game with what’s going on. Watching film, staying in tune with the new calls that’s being presented week in and week out, and try to be relevant while you’re quarantining. So, it was a challenge itself and also trying to stay in shape. You don’t really have the strength and endurance that you had before, and you try to find that balance. I’m still trying to find that balance now, trying to get better each day.”
Jones will look to finish the 2021 NFL season strong and regain that balance that was disrupted when he was on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
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