Chiefs handed huge boost with both Travis Kelce and Chris Jones BACK for Jaguars game as Patrick Mahomes’ team looks to bounce back from Lions loss

Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones will make their season debuts Sunday at Jacksonville, according to a report from NFL Network.

The two stars did not play for different reasons in the season opener, a 21-20 home loss to the Detroit Lions on September 7.

Kelce, 33, injured his right knee in training on September 5 and was diagnosed with a bone contusion. He practiced Wednesday and Thursday in a limited capacity.

Eight-time Pro Bowl selection Kelce, who was recently romantically involved with pop star Taylor Swift, has totaled 814 catches for 10,344 yards and 69 touchdowns in 144 career games (137 starts) with the Chiefs.

He will count on pitch counts when he plays against the Jaguars, according to NFL Talk on X, formerly known as Twitter, and may wear a wrap or pad around his right knee throughout Sunday’s game. although this has not yet been done. confirmed by the team.

Kelce & Jones celebrate their Super Bowl LVII victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in February

Jones, 29, ended his resistance that began in training camp after agreeing Monday to a new one-year deal with incentives that could pay him more than his $19.5 million base salary – the finale of his four-year, $80 million contract. signed in 2020.

Jones accumulated 15.5 sacks in 17 games last season and earned his fourth Pro Bowl nomination. In 107 games (86 starts) for the Chiefs since their second-round draft pick in 2016, Jones has 65 sacks, 12 forced fumbles and 243 tackles.

The Jaguars are 1-0 after a 31-21 victory over the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday. They will try to start 2-0 for the second time in 17 seasons on Sunday. On the other hand, the Chiefs are still looking for their first win of the season after their season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions, 21-20, at home.

Kansas City will try to avoid its first 0-2 start since 2014 and become the first Super Bowl champion to dig such a hole since Denver in 1999.

“It doesn’t feel good; you want to win,” Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “Obviously you wanted to win that first game, but you didn’t, so you just have to put that out of your mind and move on to the next game and try to improve so you can go out there and get a win. ‘

Jones celebrates a sack with Kelce during the third quarter against the LA Chargers last season

The Jaguars don’t appear to have completely improved from last season, as they still feel like they should have beaten Kansas City in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.

And they can easily remember why it didn’t happen: giving up a 98-yard touchdown to a backup quarterback in the second quarter, failing to score on two possessions in the third and committing two turnovers in the fourth.

“We owe it to them,” tight end Evan Engram said.

“We’re going to have to beat teams like this to get where we want to go,” Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk said. “I think it’s really important for us to approach things that way. I can’t wait to see how we respond when things get tough and hope it comes out on the positive side.

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson is winless in three games against Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, his close friend and mentor. All three came to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

The Chiefs defeated Pederson and Philadelphia 27-20 in Week 2 of the 2017 season. The Chiefs swept the Jaguars last season, winning 27-17 in Week 10 and 27-20 in the round of AFC playoff division.

“I have a lot of respect for Coach Reid and his career and what he’s done,” Pederson said. “Obviously, you would like to eventually win a football game against him.”