House Concurrent Resolution 22

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION SALUTING MISSISSIPPI'S NATIVE SON AND THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE'S DEFENSIVE END EXTRAORDINAIRE, CHRIS JONES, UPON A SUCCESSFUL SEASON WITH THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AND BECOMING A SUPER BOWL LIV CHAMPION.

WHEREAS, from the very beginning as a Houston High School Hilltopper to donning the maroon and white as a Bulldog inside Davis Wade Stadium at Mississippi State University, Christopher Deshun "Chris" Jones has always been destined for greatness, and now, he joins an elite fraternity of Mississippians who have hoisted the Vince Lombardi trophy in the air after being crowned "Super Bowl Champion"; and

WHEREAS, born on July 3, 1994, in Houston, Mississippi, Chris Jones was a five-star recruit when he committed to Mississippi State University to play football, and during his collegiate career, he appeared in all 13 games and made three starts as a true freshman in 2013, recording 32 tackles and three sacks; appeared in all 13 games and had 26 tackles and three sacks as a sophomore; started all 13 games, recording 44 tackles and 2.5 sacks as a junior; and before he could enter his senior year, he entered the 2016 NFL Draft; and

WHEREAS, a powerful and disruptive force standing at 6'6" and topping the scale at an unflinching 310 pounds, Chris's domineering presence on the gridiron launched him into the national spotlight as the 37th overall selection in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft; and

WHEREAS, a defensive end, Chris made his professional regular season debut in the Kansas City Chiefs' season-opening 33-27 victory over the San Diego Chargers, and on October 23, 2016, he earned his first career start and recorded two solo tackles in a 27-21 victory against the New Orleans Saints; and

WHEREAS, Chris has sacked some of the best quarterbacks in the league, including Andrew Luck and Cam Newton, and he finished his rookie season with 28 combined tackles, two sacks and four pass deflections in 16 games and 11 starts; and

WHEREAS, in his second year in the league, Chris continued to impress with his agility and fervor, as he was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after recording three sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception in a 27-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, and in 2018, he set an NFL record when he recorded a sack in 11 consecutive games and was named second-team All-Pro for his performance; and

WHEREAS, from the moment he stepped off the plane in Missouri and was first outfitted in the red and gold, Chris Jones has been an integral part of the Chiefs' interior defense, making an impact heard throughout Arrowhead Stadium, and during the Super Bowl, the President and CEO of Sack Nation brought an impenetrable energy to the defense that shook the opponent's quarterback and altered the outcome of the game; and

WHEREAS, the Super Bowl was a test of the true Chiefs' stamina, as it consisted of brutal physicality in the trenches and back and forth scores that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the last down was played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, and Chris Jones played his position like an unquestionable pro, as he deflected three balls from the line and helped Kansas City create a fourth-quarter shutout after being down 20-10; and

WHEREAS, February 2, 2020, will be forever recorded in the archives of sports and Mississippi history, as young and old alike witnessed one of the country's greatest defensive ends ever to take the field and one of Mississippi's most notable sports icon, Chris Jones, exhibit athletic prowess and refined skills of execution to empower his team to become world champions; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to join the fans of professional football across the globe in recognizing a football star who has brought honor to Houston High School, Mississippi State University and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby salute Mississippi's native son and the National Football League's defensive end extraordinaire, Chris Jones, upon a successful season with the Kansas City Chiefs and becoming a Super Bowl LIV Champion, and extend best wishes for continued success in all of his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be presented to Chris Jones, forwarded to the President of Mississippi State University, the Principal of Houston High School and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.