Chris Jones is the defensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs who could be seen shedding tears during Reba McEntire’s singing of “The Star Spangled Banner” during the traditional singing of the National Anthem before the Super Bowl. “Inside the NFL” revealed new details about the powerful moment on Tuesday, February 20.
In the video, Jones, wearing a mic, can be heard warning his teammate George Karlaftis that he was about to get emotional when the Anthem was to play. Speaking to Karlaftis, Jones said, “This is when I gotta … Your boy about to get emotional.” He added, “Forgive me.”
Responding, Karlaftis said that it was okay for Jones to get emotional, but then replied with the repartee that if Jones got emotional, that would made him get emotional as well. Jones, replying, said, “Don’t cry. Unless you cry with me.”
Commenting on the posted clip, people said things like, “His Feelings and Emotions shows his patriotism with his team. Definitely they’ll gonna win the Match💯✌️” and “I believe Chris Jones was deeply emotional before the game…which shows his passion for football.”
Another commenter said, “We felt it too! When the camera closed in on @StoneColdJones during pregame with real emotion and tears streaming down his face, I told my bride, that man is truly feeling the moment and it certainly was priceless. We thank you, Mr. Chris Jones!”
A different commenter, however, suggested that the moment was scripted, saying, “‘This is were I gotta’ …with the camera already positioned in front of him. I knew this was a set-up. In real time, I knew there was no way the camera just happened to go live on the guy pouring tears. NFL is rigged.”
Watch the moment between Jones and Karlaftis here:
And watch the powerful crying moment here:
Super Bowl LVIII could be the last Jones plays with the Chiefs, as he is yet to strike a deal with the Chiefs. However, speaking during the Super Bowl parade, Jones insisted he’d be sticking with the Chiefs, saying, “I need three of those rings, baby. We ain’t done yet. We ain’t done yet. Kansas City, we will be back here next year. And for those who want Chris Jones, I ain’t going nowhere, baby!”
Conservative personality Clay Travis, tweeting about the Anthem at the time, said, “Post Malone and Reba McIntrye both killed that. And, by the way, no player in the NFL that I’m aware of still kneels for the anthem. No one here on either team. It’s pretty amazing how that trend just completely vanished. And how ratings have set all time records since it ended.”
Replying to Travis with a comment about Jones and his reaction to hearing the Anthem, one poster said, “I still get the chills every time the national anthem is sung and seeing tears out of Chris Jones eyes was the best thing to see. People can say it was scripted all they want but the fact that the camera caught him at the right time was amazing. I love it”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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