Chris Jones Among Elite Company Again in NFL Top 100 Players List

Following another All-Pro season, Chris Jones gets his due respect in this year's edition of the NFL Top 100.

Dec 9, 2018; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones (95) celebrates after a play against the Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs' defense may have been the NFL's very best a season ago, and star defensive tackle Chris Jones was a major reason why. Thanks to his second first-team All-Pro campaign in a row, the 30-year-old is once again being lumped in with some of football's best.

In the Top 100 Players of 2024, "Stone Cold Jones" takes home the No. 6 spot. Last year, he was 10th.

6. Chris Jones

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The NFL's top 100 list, as voted on by the players themselves, is a yearly production that unveils the elite in groups of 10. For the second straight summer, Jones's peers make it known that he's a force to be reckoned with. Now that Aaron Donald is retired, Jones is viewed as football's premier interior pass-rusher. That's evidenced by New York Giants standout Dexter Lawrence being 24th, as well as Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets slotting in at 37th.

Despite spending last offseason holding out due to a contract dispute and missing Week 1 of the regular season, Jones quickly returned to form. Playing in 16 regular-season contests, he amassed 30 tackles (13 for loss), 29 quarterback hits and 10.5 sacks. In addition to his All-Pro nomination, he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time in his career. Among all interior linemen in the Pro Football Focus database, Jones's 90.4 pass rush grade ranked third for the regular season and playoffs.

Following his first training camp practice of the year, Jones doubled down on wanting to win Defensive Player of the Year this season.

"I think my mind frame is always to be the best I can be," Jones said. "I strive for DPOY every year. It's a commitment to myself that I make, and also challenging myself to make my teammates better. I think no matter how much the money is, how much money I'm making, how much money I get, my morals never change in football. I play football because I love the game, not for anything else."

With a normal offseason in the books and a mega contract on the books, Jones can get back to dominating against opposing offensive linemen. As the Chiefs' closer on defense, his ability to help bring big-time games home is second to none. Kansas City acknowledged such by re-signing him, setting the table for the rest of his prime years to exist on the same squad.

Assuming good health, the CEO of Sack Nation figures to be ranked in a similar spot a year from now.

Read More: Chris Jones on His Very Different Offseasons, Going Back to Training Camp, 20+ Sack Goal