Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones is a master at switching between silly and serious in a split second, and that sure came in handy as he fielded a pair of questions that could not have been more different
MIAMI —
The Latest on Media Night from Super Bowl 54 (all times EST):
8:40 p.m.
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones is a master at switching between silly and serious in a split second, and that sure came in handy as he fielded a pair of questions Monday night that could not have been more different.
The first: What does he think of the “tomahawk chop,” which fans do in unison throughout home games, given that some Native Americans view it as disrespectful to their heritage.
“It’s something that brings the fans together,” he said, “but I can definitely see how there would be a misunderstanding.”
The second: Would you rather date Shakira or Jennifer Lopez, the two superstars who will perform together during the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday night.
“Listen,” Jones said, “I love Shakira. But J-Lo is amazing. Other than my girlfriend — you got to cover the bases — if I could take any woman on a date, it would be J-Lo.”
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8:25 p.m.
Tyrann Mathieu was caught in a rather surreal moment during the Super Bowl’s opening night festivities.
He was answering questions from a gaggle of reporters when one of them asked who the All-Pro defensive back admired growing up. The first two names that popped into his head were Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss and Deion Sanders, the Hall of Fame cornerback who now works as an analyst for NFL Network.
“They just played the game with swagger. They made splash plays,” Mathieu explained.
Unbeknownst to him, Sanders happened to be walking right behind Mathieu as he talked. The former Cardinals and Texans safety did a double-take before letting a smile slip and proceeding to the next question.
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8:05 p.m.
Mecole Hardman has title game experience heading into his first Super Bowl as a rookie receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Hardman caught an 80-yard touchdown pass for Georgia in the college championship game two years ago before the Bulldogs lost 26-23 in overtime to Alabama.
But Hardman after soaking in the chaos of media night at the Super Bowl, Hardman says this game is a whole different story.
“It’s definitely a bigger stage,” he said. “But playing in that game is at least in the same ballpark for preparation.”
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