Chris Jones injury update: Latest on Chiefs DT for Christmas showdown vs Steelers

The Kansas City Chiefs played two games within a span of six games last week, which was bound to be an injury hazard for their star players. They hoped to come out of their Week 16 clash Saturday against the Houston Texans relatively unscathed but that wasn't the case.

Veteran defensive tackle Chris Jones, inarguably their most important player on defense, suffered a calf injury in their 27-19 win. He exited the game in the second half and was initially ruled questionable to return. However, he sat out for the rest of the afternoon as his team got the job done on the field.

With Kansas City scheduled to play on Christmas Day against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road, the Chiefs hoped the defensive tackle's injury was a minor strain and he'd be ready to play. However, that seemingly will not be the case.

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Chris Jones injury update: Will DT play vs. Steelers on Christmas Day?

The initial fear was that Chris Jones had suffered an injury that would've either ruled him out for the rest of the season or sidelined him for an extended period. However, that wasn't the case, and the defensive tackle was relieved about it, as his post on X evidenced.

But it's not all good news for the Chiefs. Jones missed practice on Monday and was only a limited participant on Tuesday, suggesting he's not fully healthy.

He'll undergo a medical test on Wednesday morning in Pittsburgh to determine if he's ready to play. However, given he had only three days to recover and the playoffs are right around the corner, Kansas City will likely not field Jones against the Steelers on Christmas Day.

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Chris Jones stats: DT is invaluable to the Chiefs

Chris Jones' absence will be a massive blow to the Chiefs' odds of beating the Steelers and securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The veteran has only five sacks, but he's third in the league in quarterback hurries with 17 and fifth in pressures with 38. He gets double-teamed on nearly half the snaps in which he lines up as an interior defensive lineman.

Jones is among the NFL's most disruptive and dominant defensive players. Without him, the Kansas City defense isn't nearly as potent or terrifying as they are with him.

Kansas City planned on winning in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, securing the No. 1 seed and resting key starters ahead of the playoffs. However, it will likely have to execute the plan without Chris Jones.