NFL executives, coaches, and players ranked Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones as the top defensive tackle in the league in ESPN’s recent top-10 rankings.
Jones and every defensive tackle in the league annually finished behind the legendary Aaron Donald. The perennial All-Pro called it a career at the end of last season, opening the door for a new star at the top of the rankings.
“The best player of the Top 10 series era is retired.” wrote ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “Aaron Donald consistently garnered more first-place votes than any other player in the four years of polling since we started this exercise in 2020. “
Jones remained dominant after holding out from training camp, the preseason, and the season’s opening game. He finished 2023 with 10.5 sacks in 16 games and earned first-team All-Pro honors. The performance earned the 30-year-old a five-year, $158.75 million deal containing $101 million in guarantees, making him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.
Putting in that work from nine-to-five 😤
Congrats, @StoneColdJones! pic.twitter.com/zvsZjyVfjd
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) July 11, 2024
Jones can now finally add the top spot on ESPN to his many career accolades. He and his teammates hope to secure a Super Bowl three-peat for Kansas City in 2024.