Cincinnati has earned the respect of Kansas City’s best defender.

Kansas City Chiefs superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones paid the Cincinnati Bengals the ultimate compliment ahead of Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans.

While meeting with media members ahead of the big game, Jones was asked who the toughest competition for the Chiefs in the AFC is, and he quickly pointed to the black and orange.

Chris Jones names the Bengals as Kansas City’s toughest competition in the AFC

“I’m gonna say [the] Cincinnati Bengals,” Jones said. “They’re always at the close. Unfortunately injuries have played a huge part in their lack of success. I have so much respect for the Cincinnati Bengals.”

Jones also added the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens due to the stellar play of quarterbacks Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson respectively, but it’s noteworthy that he mentioned the Bengals first, despite the fact that they failed to qualify for postseason play for the second consecutive season. The two teams do have a bit of a history, after all.

The Bengals and Chiefs met in back-to-back AFC championship games in 2021 and 2022, with the Bengals coming out victorious the first time. Joe Burrow became the only quarterback other than Tom Brady to beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs in the process and he maintains a 3-2 career record against Kansas City. But, the Chiefs got their revenge the following season and they haven’t looked back.

The Bengals haven’t been back to the playoffs since losing to Kansas City in that championship game in ’22, while the Chiefs will be playing in their third consecutive Super Bowl in a matter of days. So, the rivalry — if you want to call it that — is a little one-sided. Nonetheless, the Bengals have clearly done enough to earn Jones’ respect.

In order to keep that respect, though, the Bengals will have to find a way to retool over the offseason, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and climb back into the playoff picture in the AFC in 2025.