Chris Jones' Emotional Reaction During National Anthem Performance

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Jan 18, 2025 6:10 PM ET

Kansas City Chiefs defensive star Chris Jones couldn't hide his emotions while the national anthem was being played before their divisional round showdown against the Houston Texans.

Professional soloist and renowned gospel singer Lanell Lightfoot performed "The Star Spangled Banner" on Saturday, drawing plenty of reactions from fans watching the contest.

The performance sparked mixed reactions from fans, with many complaining that it was an "awful" rendition of the national anthem. However, several others loved Lightfoot's singing.

Aside from the performance, though, what caught the attention of many was Jones' reaction during the national anthem. The Chiefs' defensive tackle was seen in tears while Lightfoot was singing the anthem.

ESPN caught the moment and shared a video on social media, writing, "Chris Jones got emotional ahead of Texans-Chiefs."

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It's hard to blame Chris Jones for his reaction, though. After all, the Chiefs were officially starting their Super Bowl three-peat bid, something that has never been done before.

There's definitely a lot of emotion in the game. Not to mention that the Chiefs are dealing with tons of pressure amid expectations that they would be able to make NFL history in the playoffs.

Sure enough, the video of Jones in tears ahead of the game serves as a huge reminder of how important this postseason is to the Chiefs.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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