Chiefs’ Chris Jones understands Joe Burrow’s comments on SEC stadiums, defends K.C. fans and Arrowhead Stadium

Joe Burrow isn’t intimidated by the decibel meter of Arrowhead Stadium at its loudest, explaining SEC stadiums have prepared him for what’s to come when the Cincinnati Bengals visit the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday.   

Burrow has taken some heat for a comment made to NBC Sports’ Peter King in October, saying “it gets way louder in the SEC than in any of these NFL stadiums.” The comment resurfaced this week as the Bengals head to Arrowhead Stadium, which has reached 142.2 decibels — the official Guinness Book of World Records designation as the “loudest crowd roar at a stadium.”

Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, an SEC football player himself who is charged with the task of sacking Burrow this week, understands what Burrow meant.

“You know what Arrowhead does have its staple in the NFL. The college atmosphere is a little different also. I can see where he’s coming from, coming from Mississippi State and those cowbells,” Jones said. “We definitely have the best fans, the best stadium hands down.”

Jones made sure Chiefs fans got their due while trying to sympathize with Burrow, who has never played a game in Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs defensive tackle made sure to point out that the stadium is naturally loud. 

“The decibel meter, I think people hype it up putting speakers in their stands and everything. Arrowhead doesn’t have to do that because their fans stay loud, the fans stay screaming,” Jones said. “We have dedicated fans that spend their Christmas, spend their Thanksgiving here at the stadium tailgating. 

“I mean when you have a group of individuals that dedicated, they put their all into it, their support is heavy. I would say I can see where he’s coming from, but Arrowhead is something special, I tell you.”

Burrow didn’t backtrack on his comments from October, mentioning he’s played in loud stadiums for each SEC road game when he was leading LSU to a national championship. Sunday will be different, even if the preparation will be the same. 

“In the SEC, every single week it seems like every stadium is really loud, there’s hundreds of thousands of people,” Burrow said Wednesday. “This one is going to be similar. We expect it to be really loud, we’re talking about it throughout the week. We’re going to have to be great with our communication, our non-verbal communication, just like every week on the road.”