Is Chris Jones Already a Hall of Famer?

by Tony | Feb 9, 2025 | Hall of Fame

Reading through an article of which players in Super Bowl LIX may draw interest as free agents for my local team, I saw reference to “future Hall of Famer Chris Jones” (not as one of the potential targets–but as the only DT with a PFF pass rush grade higher than Milton Williams, who was the player being mentioned), which got me thinking (like it almost always does when I see “future Hall of Famer Player X”)–is Chris Jones there already?

Jones has emerged as one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive tackles, anchoring the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense with his combination of power, agility, and versatility. Drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft (37th overall) out of Mississippi State, Jones quickly developed into a cornerstone of the Chiefs’ defensive line and a game-changing force in the trenches.

Jones’ breakout season came in 2018, when he recorded an astonishing 15.5 sacks, setting an NFL record with a sack in 11 consecutive games. Somehow this didn’t result in a Pro Bowl selection, being passed over by Geno Atkins, Jurrell Casey, Cameron Heyward, and even Kyle Williams and Brandon Williams as alternates. He did make his first Pro Bowl the following season, but after his breakout, he failed to play in a full slate of games or hit double digit sacks again until 2022–when he again recorded 15.5 sacks in a full 17 games–and finally earned his first of three consecutive first team All-Pro awards, after being 2nd team in three of the previous four seasons.

As of the end of the 2024 season, Jones has been selected to the Pro Bowl six times (2019–2024) and named a First-Team All-Pro three times (2022-2024). He finished 3rd in voting for Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. His ability to impact both the pass and run games has made him indispensable to a Chiefs defense that has been instrumental in the team’s multiple Super Bowl appearances and victories during his tenure.

Through nine seasons, Jones has recorded 80.5 career sacks and unofficially has 310 total tackles, with 87 tackles for loss, along with 13 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions (one returned for a TD), while constantly drawing double-teams from opposing offenses. In addition to his individual accolades, Jones has shined on the biggest stages. He played a pivotal role in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV victory, disrupting San Francisco’s offensive line in key moments, and was equally impactful in Super Bowl LVII, helping Kansas City secure another championship.

His combination of individual accolades, postseason success, and impact on one of the NFL’s most dominant teams places him firmly in the conversation as a future Hall of Famer, even as he continues to build his already impressive career–but as he nears his 10th season–the point at which contemporary DT (and frequent block for the All-Pro award) Aaron Donald retired–I ask the question, has he already done enough if he were to hang up the cleats today?