Chris Jones says Ravens, not 49ers, were 'best team' after Chiefs' Super Bowl 58 win

Crissy Froyd

Chris Jones says Ravens, not 49ers, were 'best team' after Chiefs' Super Bowl 58 win image

The 49ers may have been the team the Chiefs defeated in Super Bowl 58, but star defensive lineman Chris Jones doesn't view them as Kansas City's toughest opponent.

"I think we faced the best team in the league in the Baltimore Ravens, hands down," Jones said after the game.

Baltimore was the last team the Chiefs had to go through to make it to the Super Bowl, defeating the Ravens 17-10 in the AFC title game.

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Chris Jones says Ravens were best team in the NFL

“It’s a tough environment — MVP Lamar Jackson and that defense, man. We [were] able to overcome them obstacles, we weren’t going to be defeated here,” Jones said.

There's always debate when comparing teams that didn't face each other in the playoffs, but there's certainly evidence to back up Jones' claim. The Ravens posted a 13-4 record, putting them well above the rest of the AFC, as no team in the conference finished with more than 11 victories. They also beat the 49ers 33-19 in San Francisco in Week 16. 

The NFC saw a bit more overall success with the Cowboys, Lions, and 49ers each achieving 12 wins, but Kansas City just beat the best the NFC had to offer.

Will the Ravens have a chance at an AFC title game rematch with the Chiefs? That will be something to watch in 2024 as Kansas City looks to pull off the first three-peat in NFL history.

In the meantime, Ravens fans can find a little comfort in Jones' praise despite their team not making it to the big game.

Crissy Froyd

Crissy Froyd Photo

Crissy Froyd is a content producer at The Sporting News covering college football, the NFL and other sports. A graduate of LSU in 2021, she has nine years' experience writing about football across all levels, specializing in quarterback analysis and the NFL Draft. Her work previously appeared in USA Today, Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports, among other outlets.