Chiefs' Chris Jones explains why he sheds a tear when the national anthem is played

Pete Grathoff, The Kansas City Star on Feb 6, 2025

Published in Football

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

NEW ORLEANS — The NFL tabbed Grammy Award singer Jon Batiste to perform the national anthem ahead of Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, and he’ll be returning to his home state of Louisiana.

When Batiste is singing, Fox Sports would be wise to keep a camera on one particular player on the Chiefs sideline.

It’s defensive tackle Chris Jones, who has been spotted shedding a tear when the national anthem is played before a big Chiefs game.

Jones shared what has prompted the reaction in the past.

“I’m watching the movie ‘300,’ right? One of my favorite movies,” Jones said Thursday. “The Romans, right before they go into battle you have some players crying because they’re so mad they’re about to go to war.

“In the sense of playing football, I actually go in that mind-frame like I might not even make it home tonight, but knowing I’m gonna make it home. But I feel like I’m going to war. I have to mentally get myself in that mind frame that I’m about to go to war. You know, it’s gonna get bloody, it’s gonna get physical. I might not make it out. I might make it out. So during the midst of the national anthem, I have to put myself in that mind frame.”

That’s only part of the reason for the reaction from Jones, 30.

Jones also uses past slights to fuel him, which is why opposing quarterbacks would be wise to praise him whenever possible.

“Then I’m also retracing, and going over all the obstacles that it took for me to get here in a sense,” he said. “Thinking about that, all of that manifesting, then tears start rolling down because I’m so angry. I’m going through so many emotions. Anything somebody said, like, three weeks ago, I’m remembering. I’m mad. You know what I mean? So it’s just full of emotions, man.”

So ... did anyone say anything negative about Jones in the last few weeks?

Jones didn’t answer that question, but did say he pays attention to what the media says about him.

“Listen, I listen to everything y’all say,” Jones said. “I might not say nothing on it. I might even talk about it, but I’m taking multiple mental notes about it, man, I’m taking everything. So anything to fuel the fire.”