I came very close to picking up Chandler Jones as a defensive player in my fantasy football league yesterday, very close. Ultimately, I decided to stay with Buffalo’s Mario Williams, but my mouse cursor’s hesitation over the name Chandler Jones served as a reminder that the Jones brothers are all over the friggin’ place nowadays.
This Sunday, two of the Jones brothers will be playing each other for the first time in the NFL when the New England Patriots and Chandler Jones take on Arthur Jones and the Baltimore Ravens (Arthur may not play much, but that’s besides the point). But before they play, on Saturday night they’ll be watching their big bro defend his UFC title in the Octagon against Vitor Belfort. It’s a officially a Jones world now, and we’re just living in it. It’s almost to the level of 1989 Mario bros fame, almost.
Sports Illustrated talked to the elder Jones brother about his younger siblings, football and fighting.
“I don’t necessarily want a 0-0 game,” “I definitely want one of my brothers to win, and I’m interested in who has the better individual game — more tackles, more sacks. Arthur and Chandler are very competitive. They’re best friends, so they’re competitive in a good way. But whoever does better Sunday night will definitely roast the other. I’m going to enjoy that.”
“I was terrible at football. I didn’t remember the plays, so I would line up at defensive end and just try to get through the line. I’d be doing swim moves on running plays. I was just terrible.”
Arthur has spent part of the last couple of NFL offseasons training in MMA alongside his brother the UFC champ. “Arthur has a tremendous amount of potential in martial arts,” “He has phenomenal wrestling skills, he’s a fast learner, he has a great work ethic. I just think he’s a natural fighter.” “Arthur wouldn’t hesitate to pursue mixed martial arts.”
. “The dedication that it would take for him to get down to the 265 heavyweight limit,” ” I think it would transform him mentally into the warrior he needs to be to compete at a high level. And he would be faster than ever and mentally a stronger person. I think he would make a great contender, if not champion, in the UFC.”
“Nah,” “Chandler’s not a fighter, other than when we play slap boxing games in our mom’s and dad’s backyard.”
Now Peyton and Eli Manning have to engage in Street MMA with two out of the three Jones bros for no real reason other than deciding who are the current alpha bros.
[Source]
