According to a report from NFL insider Adam Schefter early on Christmas Day, Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones is “unlikely” to play in the defending Super Bowl champions’ Week 17 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The news comes after Jones sustained a calf injury during Kansas City’s Week 16 win over the Houston Texans.
Jones was a limited participant in the Chiefs’ practice session on Tuesday and was officially listed as questionable ahead of Kansas City’s tilt against Pittsburgh.
Though Schefter’s report left some room for Chiefs fans to remain optimistic about Jones’ prospects of playing on Christmas Day, Kansas City’s coaching staff may choose to exercise caution with the star lineman’s usage with the playoffs on the horizon.
Chiefs DT Chris Jones is unlikely to play today vs. Pittsburgh due to his calf injury, per league sources.
Jones hurt his calf Saturday vs. the Texans, and a short week leading up to the Christmas Day game makes it challenging heading into pre-game warmups. pic.twitter.com/iZvtj28YPX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 25, 2024
Both the Chiefs and Steelers are operating on minimal rest after playing their last games on Saturday, December 21.
Should Jones be held out of Wednesday’s game, fans can expect veteran linemen Mike Pennel and Derrick Nnadi to fill his role on Kansas City’s defensive line.