Chiefs’ Chris Jones crashed a teammate’s interview. Here’s what happened next
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- George Karlaftis signed a four-year, $93 million extension with the Chiefs.
- Karlaftis recorded 61 pressures and 21 QB hits during the 2023 regular season.
- Chris Jones interrupted Karlaftis' interview, jokingly calling him 'G-Money.'
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis seemed to regret the two words just after he said them.
This news conference interview — taking place after the Chiefs’ first training camp practice Tuesday on Missouri Western’s campus — had initially been centered around both Karlaftis and the recent contract extension he’d signed with the Chiefs.
That was before Karlaftis turned to his left ... and saw that All-Pro defensive end teammate Chris Jones had wandered into the media tent to make an appearance.
“Chris, anything?” Karlaftis said between questions.
As usual, yes, the often light-hearted Jones had something to say.
“Big Money George, man,” Jones said with a laugh, turning toward reporters. “Don’t call him ‘George.’ Call him, ‘G-Money.’”
“Please don’t call me that,” Karlaftis responded with a sheepish grin.
The 2022 first-round pick Karlaftis will have to get used to these sorts of playful jabs now. That comes with a life where he signed a recent four-year extension with the Chiefs, a contract set to pay him $93 million, with $62 million of that guaranteed.
“It was a great process — very respectful, I feel like, on both sides. And it went good,” Karlaftis said. “I knew something was probably gonna be done before camp, and I’m glad it did. And I’m happy to be here for another however many years.”
The Chiefs seem thrilled to lock up the 24-year-old, as well.
That includes coach Andy Reid, who described Karlaftis on Sunday as a “heckuva player” who’s “done a great job here.”
Reid also saw the extension as a win-win for both sides.
“He’s a relentless player. That’s what you get with George. He’s smart, relentless,” Reid said. “You could trust and know he’s reliable — trust that he’s going to be there and do the right things and go 100 miles an hour doing them. Very well respected that way.”
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also said Tuesday that he was “extremely excited” to see that both Karlaftis and right guard Trey Smith had received recent extensions with the Chiefs.
“To have guys like that get rewarded for how they play, but also the people that they are, it’s a great feeling,” Mahomes said. “And it keeps guys wanting to come out there and be at their best every single day.”
Karlaftis’ extension actually locks him with KC for six seasons. The final year of his rookie contract was set to be this year, while the Chiefs had also opted into a fifth-year option with Karlaftis that was available because he was a first-round pick.
So what was his motivation for wanting to stick around with the Chiefs for an extended period?
“For me, really, it starts with the team: The team, Coach Reid, the guys on the team, the locker room, everything about this organization from the top down, really. Just amazing. No place I’d rather be, really,” Karlaftis said. “And then the city ... my fiancee and I have grown to love this place, calling it home now.”
Karlaftis has already been a steady contributor for KC in his first three seasons, combining for 24 1/2 regular-season sacks while posting a 10 1/2-sack campaign in 2023.
Late last year, Karlaftis flashed even more potential with encouraging underlying numbers. He put up some of his best career performances in the NFL Next Gen Stat “Pass Rush Get Off,” which computes the average time it takes for a pass rusher to cross the line of scrimmage.
A 2021 FiveThirtyEight study shows that “Pass Rush Get Off” is a valuable trait; speedy times correlated strongly with pass-rush win rates and quarterback pressures.
Karlaftis was among the elite at creating pressures. His 61 regular-season pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, tied for 15th among all NFL players. In addition, he ranked second in the NFL with 21 QB hits.
Now, Karlaftis also hopes to take on a mentorship role with rookie defensive end Ashton Gillotte — a player he has known for a few years after previously working out with him at Louisville.
“It makes it a lot easier when you’ve got a guy that wants the best for you and is genuine about your success,” Karlaftis said. “ ... I just hope I can do my part in developing these young guys.”
When Karlaftis was a rookie in 2022, he said defensive end Frank Clark used to stay after training camp practice to work with him each day. Carlos Dunlap was another veteran who provided guidance.
And one more teammate who helped? That would be Jones ... the same person who gave him some guff Tuesday in front of a few dozen reporters at Chiefs camp.
Karlaftis will have to learn to roll with it — while doing all he can to make sure a “G-Money” nickname never sticks.
This story was originally published July 22, 2025 at 2:00 PM.
