NFL player Chris Jones, a defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, had an emotional Sunday.
Jones attended his aunt’s funeral in Mississippi just hours before taking on the Baltimore Ravens.
After missing warm-ups but making it to Kansas City 45 minutes before kickoff, Jones was able to help his team reach a victory. The Chiefs pulled out a win with a final score of 37 to 20, improving their season record to 2-2.
After the game, Jones explained in a press conference what it was like to play while dealing with the loss of his aunt.
“It was a lot, overcome with emotions, but it felt fun to be back on the field with my brothers, enjoy the win, the atmosphere, feeling the energy here,” he said.
He explained that to make the timing of both events work, he left for his home state on Saturday.
“Left yesterday, came back after the funeral today,” he said. “We had it planned out; we had a strategic plan to get me here in time for the game.”
His family was also understanding of his commitment to the team and was able to get help from them to make both events work.
“They were very supportive and they were very understanding to the scheduling of things, to schedule the funeral to where I could still make the game and still be supportive on the family aspect of it,” Jones said about his family. “I’m super appreciative of them for understanding.”
As the defensive player started to look emotional during the game, he relied on his teammates while trying to focus on his love of football.
“It’s tough, any time you lose a loved one, or someone you love and cherish and care about, it’s emotional,” he told reporters. “Football is my escape, where I can escape from the reality of what’s really going on and just have fun, being like a kid in the backyard playing football again.”
The Chiefs’ coach, Andy Reid, also touched on Jones’s circumstances, highlighting that family should always come first.
“He had to do what he had to do there. That’s not something you plan on,” he said during a press conference. “You take care of that first, and the game kind of comes secondary when you start dealing with life and death.”
The Chiefs will next take on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday, October 6, at 8:15 p.m. ET.
