Chandler Jones is a former NFL defensive end and outside linebacker who played for the Patriots, Cardinals, and Raiders. He finished with 112 career sacks, four Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro honors, and a Super Bowl XLIX ring. His last NFL game action came in 2022.
As of September 2026, current football databases list the 36-year-old as a free agent or inactive, with no game log after 2022. This profile covers the pass rusher born in 1990, not the San José State wide receiver who shares his name.
| Key fact | Detail |
| Full name | Chandler James Jones |
| Born | February 27, 1990 |
| Age | 36 as of September 2026 |
| Height | 6 feet 5 inches |
| College | Syracuse |
| NFL Draft | 2012, Round 1, No. 21 overall |
| NFL teams | New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders |
| Career sacks | 112.0 |
| Major honors | 4 Pro Bowls, 2 first-team All-Pro selections, Super Bowl XLIX champion |
| Current football status | Free agent/inactive; last NFL game action in 2022 |
The NFL lists him at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, while current contract and fantasy databases identify him as a 36-year-old player without an active team.
Chandler Jones’ NFL career: from New England to Las Vegas
New England selected Jones with the 21st pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. He quickly became a regular starter and spent four seasons with the Patriots. His New England run produced 36 sacks and included the franchise’s Super Bowl XLIX championship season.
The Patriots traded him to Arizona in 2016. His production climbed with the Cardinals, where he became one of football’s leading pass rushers. He recorded 17 sacks in 2017 and a career-high 19 in 2019. Those seasons helped earn him first-team All-Pro recognition both years.
By the end of his Arizona tenure, he had recorded 71.5 sacks for the franchise. He also earned a place on the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team. That honor placed his sustained production alongside that of the leading defensive players of that period.
Las Vegas signed the veteran to a three-year, $51 million contract in March 2022. His first Raiders season included 4.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries. One recovery became a famous walk-off touchdown against New England after an attempted lateral went wrong. Readers looking for more coverage across different sports can browse the Mag Vibes Sports archive.
Career stats show where his production came from.
His 112 career sacks were spread across three franchises, but Arizona accounted for most of them.
| Team | Playing seasons | Career sacks with the team |
| New England Patriots | 2012-2015 | 36.0 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 2016-2021 | 71.5 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 2022 | 4.5 |
| Career total | 11 playing seasons | 112.0 |
He appeared in 154 regular-season games and started 151. Career records also credit him with 511 combined tackles and 34 forced fumbles.
What is his current NFL status in 2026?
Jones did not appear in a regular-season game for Las Vegas after the 2022 campaign, and the Raiders released him in September 2023. Current player databases do not show the former pass rusher on an active NFL roster. RotoWire lists him as a free agent, while Spotrac labels him inactive. Pro-Football-Reference records 2022 as his last playing season.
That makes “a former or inactive NFL player” the clearest description of his current football status. A prominent formal retirement announcement is not necessary to establish that he has not returned to regular-season action.
Family Ties connects the NFL and UFC
Athletic success runs through the Jones family. His brother Jon Jones became a UFC champion, while older brother Arthur Jones played defensive line in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with Baltimore.
Chandler is the youngest of the three brothers. All three built their reputations in professional contact and combat sports, which made the family a regular topic of conversation throughout their playing careers.
Syracuse also remained important after his NFL career began. He returned to complete his university degree in 2020, long after he had first left campus to play in the NFL.
For another athlete-focused feature, Mag Vibes also features a collection of famous quotes from female athletes.
Career earnings are different from net worth
Online searches often attach a “net worth” figure to famous athletes, but those estimates can be difficult to verify. Contract earnings offer firmer evidence.
Spotrac lists career NFL earnings of about $135.27 million through 2026. That figure reflects football compensation tracked by the contract database. It should not be treated as personal net worth. Taxes, agent fees, investments, expenses, assets, and liabilities all affect a person’s finances.
His major contracts included a five-year Arizona extension worth $82.5 million and the three-year, $51 million Raiders agreement.
Name confusion: Another football player shared His name
Search results can also surface another Chandler Jones, a former San José State wide receiver and coach. That athlete was born in 1991 and is a different person from the former NFL defensive star discussed here.
Checking the birth date and position helps separate the two. The pass rusher in this profile was born in 1990, attended Syracuse, and wore No. 55 during his time with the Cardinals and Raiders.
Conclusion
Chandler Jones built a remarkable NFL career through consistency, elite pass-rushing ability, and more than a decade of high-level defensive production. From being selected 21st overall by the New England Patriots in the 2012 NFL Draft to becoming one of the Arizona Cardinals’ most productive defensive stars, his career produced 112 sacks, four Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro honors, and a Super Bowl championship. His 19-sack season in 2019 remains one of the clearest highlights of his time in the league.
His move to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 marked the final chapter of his NFL playing career. Although that season did not reproduce the extraordinary numbers of his Arizona years, Jones still finished his career with an impressive statistical résumé. With 154 regular-season appearances, 112 sacks, 34 forced fumbles, and more than $135 million in reported career earnings, Chandler Jones left professional football with accomplishments that place him among the notable pass rushers of his generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
He is not on an active NFL roster as of September 2026. Current databases describe him as a free agent or inactive, and his last regular-season game action came in 2022.
He finished with 112 regular-season sacks across his time with New England, Arizona, and Las Vegas. Arizona accounted for 71.5 of those sacks.
He played for the New England Patriots from 2012 through 2015, the Arizona Cardinals from 2016 through 2021, and the Las Vegas Raiders beginning in 2022.
Yes. The former NFL defender is the younger brother of former UFC champion Jon Jones. Their older brother, Arthur, also played in the NFL.
Yes. He was part of the New England Patriots team that won Super Bowl XLIX over the Seattle Seahawks following the 2014 season.
He was born on February 27, 1990, making him 36 years old in September 2026.
