Week 15 was not kind to the Chiefs. Kansas City was eliminated from the playoffs thanks to a 16-13 loss to the Chargers, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered what appeared to be an ugly knee injury late in the game.

During postgame media availability, All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones revealed the powerful message he had for Mahomes following the injury.

“I just hugged him, man. That’s my brother,” Jones said. “We’ve been through so much.”

Jones and Mahomes have been teammates since Mahomes was drafted in 2017. The Chiefs selected Jones in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. In that time, the two have helped Kansas City reach five Super Bowls and win three. This is the first season in either of their careers that they will not make the postseason.

Mahomes could be out for a while, which means Jones and the team’s other veterans will have to step up in his absence.

Jones reacts to Chiefs being eliminated

Jones didn’t realize the Chiefs had been eliminated until he got to the podium after the game.

“Are we out of the playoffs?” Jones asked the assembled media. When he was informed Kansas City had been eliminated, he said, “We are? OK.”

After learning the news, Jones turned philosophical and discussed how success needs to be earned each season.

“Every year is a journey. Success is rented every year… sometimes it don’t go the way you plan for it to go. It’s a learning curve,” Jones said. “We understand the fact that in order to be successful, it’s an everyday thing... It’s a consistent thing. We’ve got three more games, and we gotta finish strong still as competitors.”

Jones has won three Super Bowls as a member of the Chiefs and is a three-time first-team All-Pro. The 31-year-old is one of the best defensive linemen in football and a key leader on defense.

While everyone waits to see the status of Mahomes’s knee injury, the Chiefs can begin looking ahead to next season.

The Chiefs will have a lot of key pieces returning, as Jones, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, Creed Humphrey, George Karlaftis, Trent McDuffie, Xavier Worthy, and Rashee Rice are all set to return. If Mahomes is healthy and Kansas City can add key pieces in the draft, the team should be right back in the thick of the AFC playoff race in 2026.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chris Jones Had Powerful Message for Patrick Mahomes After Heartbreaking Injury.

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