Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones has revealed black cleats are forbidden in the Kansas City locker room – but he still has no idea why.
Jones, who is currently in his ninth season at Arrowhead, opened up on the bizarre rule during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show this week.
American sports commentator Eisen first asked the Kansas City veteran if he’s ever had to have harsh words with a teammate to bring them back into line, before he explained how younger players often need the low-down on some unwritten rules.
‘We have talks,’ Jones said. ‘Usually younger guys trying to figure out how to do things, mostly just showing them the way, showing them how it’s usually done here… or a new guy coming on the team and not understanding how this organization operates.
‘Like, something as simple as we don’t wear black cleats. It’s simple, but this organization has these little things that we follow by that sometimes players don’t know.’
Chris Jones has revealed black cleats are forbidden in the Kansas City Chiefs locker room
The likes of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are forced to abide by the unwritten rule
When asked by Eisen why they are not allowed to wear black cleats, Jones laughed: ‘Listen, I don’t know… I just work here! I don’t make the rules.’
Jones’ teammate Patrick Mahomes joked earlier this season that black cleats could have cost the Ravens a win over the Chiefs in their season-opener at Arrowhead Stadium.
Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely had a last-second game-winning TD ruled out on video replay when his toe, in his black cleat, was seen overstepping the line for out of bounds.
‘It looked good from my angle on the sideline. But then that first view you saw, you can see the cleat. He’s got to wear white cleats next time. That’s my advice for him,’ Mahomes joked afterwards.
Alongside the likes of Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Jones has helped the Chiefs win three Super Bowls since being selected by the team with the 37th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Two of those triumphs came in the previous two seasons, with Andy Reid’s men now targeting an unprecedented ‘three-peat’ in the 2024 campaign.
Eisen then asked Jones if the three-peat is ever discussed in the locker room, to which he replied: ‘No, not at all. It’s just so far fetched man.
‘First you’ve gotta get through the division and not only the AFC West, you gotta get through the AFC. So much adversity can come about.
But Jones admitted on The Rich Eisen Show that he has no idea why the rule is in place
‘So I think more so for us it’s about the smaller goals. Winning the AFC West, that’s the first thing we can do. If we win the AFC West we can put ourselves in a position to be in the playoffs.
‘Then we can think about the AFC, and then we can think about winning the AFC Championship. If you win that, then you can think about the three-peat.
‘But it’s just so far fetched and so far away man, so I think you can focus on the smaller goals and if you’re able to hit them then you’ll be where you want to be.’
