Deacon Jones
Encyclopedia
David D. "Deacon" Jones (born December 9, 1938 in Eatonville
, Florida
) is a former American football
defensive end
in the National Football League
for the Los Angeles Rams
, San Diego Chargers
, and the Washington Redskins
. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1980.
Jones specialized in quarterback sack
s, a term attributed to him. Nicknamed the "Secretary of Defense", Jones is considered one of the greatest defensive players ever. The Los Angeles Times
called Jones "Most Valuable Ram of All Time," and former Rams head coach George Allen called him the "Greatest Defensive End of Modern Football".
and lived in a four bedroom house with his family of ten. Jones attended Hungerford High School, where he played football
, baseball
, and basketball
. During high school, Jones developed a lump in his thigh
and learned that it was a tumor
; he had surgery to remove it.
career consisted of a year at South Carolina State University
in 1957, followed by a year of inactivity in 1958 and a final season at Mississippi Vocational College (since renamed Mississippi Valley State University
) in 1960.
South Carolina State revoked Jones' scholarship after they learned that he was a part of a civil rights movement. However, one of the assistant football coaches at South Carolina State was leaving to coach at Mississippi Vocational and told Jones and some of the other black players that he could get them scholarships at the new school. While he was playing at Mississippi Vocational, he and his black teammates had to sleep in cots in the opposing team's gym because motels wouldn’t take them on numerous occasions.
in the fourteenth round of the 1961 NFL Draft
by the Los Angeles Rams
. He then earned a starting role as a defensive end
and teamed with tackle Merlin Olsen
to give Los Angeles a perennial All-Pro
left side of the defensive line. He became a part of the Fearsome Foursome
defensive line of the Rams (along with Lamar Lundy
, Rosey Grier
, and Olsen), which is now considered one of the best lines of all time.
Jones won consensus All-Pro honors five straight years from 1965
through 1969
and was Second-team All-Pro in 1964, 1970, and 1972. He was also in seven straight Pro Bowl
s, from 1964 to 1970, and was selected to an eighth after the 1972 season
with the San Diego Chargers
. He was voted the team's Outstanding Defensive Lineman by the Los Angeles Rams Alumni in 1962, 64, 65, and 66. In 1971 Jones suffered a severely sprained arch, which caused him to miss four starts and he ended the season with 4½ sacks, his career-low to that point.
In 1972, Jones was included in a multi-player trade with the San Diego Chargers
where he was an instant success. He was named San Diego's defensive captain and led all Chargers' defensive linemen in tackles and won a berth on the AFC Pro Bowl squad. He concluded his career with the Washington Redskins
in 1974. Along the way Jones was named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Week four times: Week 14, 1967; Week 12, 1968; Week 11, 1969; and Week 10, 1970.
An extremely durable player, Jones missed only six games of a possible 196 regular-season encounters in his 14 National Football League
seasons.
Pro Football Weekly
reported he accumulated 194½ sacks over his career, which would be third on the all-time sack list. (Jones would have ranked first all-time at the time of his retirement, and since has been surpassed by two fellow Hall of Famer's Bruce Smith and Reggie White.)
In 1967, Jones had 26 sacks in only 14 games, which (if official) would be the single season record. (The term "sack" had not yet been coined at the time, and official sack statistics were not recorded by the NFL until 1982.) Then in 1968 Jones had 24 sacks in 14 games, also more than the current NFL record. The sum total of these two seasons would give him 50 sacks in 2 seasons, far more than anyone else has achieved.
Unofficial Annual Sack Totals
1961 8,
1962 12,
1963 20,
1964 22,
1965 19,
1966 18,
1967 26,
1968 24,
1969 15,
1970 12,
1971 4½,
1972 6,
1973 5,
1974 3
(Source: St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins Media Guides)
roles. He appeared in an episode of The Odd Couple
where he and Oscar
were in a television commercial selling shaving products. He appeared on The Brady Bunch
and in a Bewitched
episode in 1969 he played a guard to the Giant's castle in Jack & the Beanstalk. Jones also played himself on an episode of Wonder Woman
in 1978.
In 1978 he played a Viking named 'Thall' in The Norseman. Fellow Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff
joined Jones in that film, also portraying a Norseman. Also in 1978 Jones portrayed a fierce defensive lineman named 'Gorman' in the film Heaven Can Wait
.
In the series G vs E
, he played himself, but as an agent of "The Corps". He also played a role in the hit show, ALF
, where he played a father figure to Alf.
radio in the 1994 season
, teaming with Steve Physioc and Jack Snow.
, Haggar Clothing
, Pacific Coast Medical Enterprises, and Epson America
, and represented the NFL and Champion Products
as spokesman for their Throwback campaigns. Jones was also chairman for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in their national hypertension awareness program.
to meet with troops stationed there and U.S. General Tommy Franks
.
Jones currently serves as the president and CEO of the Deacon Jones Foundation, an organization he founded in 1997 "to assist young people and the communities in which they live with a comprehensive program that includes education, mentoring, corporate internship, and community service."
in his first year of eligibility in 1980, and was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994. In 1999, he was ranked number 13 on The Sporting News
list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, the highest-ranked player to have played for the Rams franchise, the highest-ranked defensive end, and the second-ranked defensive lineman behind Bob Lilly
. The same year, he was named by Sports Illustrated
as the "Defensive End of the Century".
. Jones was featured in "Why Can't We Be Friends" which he recorded with War. Jones appeared as a singer on "The Hollywood Palace" in 1967 and 1968, and on the Merv Griffin
Show in 1970, performing his singing skills.
Eatonville, Florida
Eatonville is a town in Orange County, Florida, six miles north of Orlando. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee metropolitan statistical area. The population was 2,432 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1980.
Jones specialized in quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s, a term attributed to him. Nicknamed the "Secretary of Defense", Jones is considered one of the greatest defensive players ever. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
called Jones "Most Valuable Ram of All Time," and former Rams head coach George Allen called him the "Greatest Defensive End of Modern Football".
Early life
Jones was born in Eatonville, FloridaEatonville, Florida
Eatonville is a town in Orange County, Florida, six miles north of Orlando. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee metropolitan statistical area. The population was 2,432 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S...
and lived in a four bedroom house with his family of ten. Jones attended Hungerford High School, where he played football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. During high school, Jones developed a lump in his thigh
Thigh
In humans the thigh is the area between the pelvis and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb.The single bone in the thigh is called the femur...
and learned that it was a tumor
Tumor
A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...
; he had surgery to remove it.
College career
Jones' college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
career consisted of a year at South Carolina State University
South Carolina State University
South Carolina State University is a historically black university located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States. It is the only state funded, historically black land-grant institution in South Carolina and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- Colleges, departments,...
in 1957, followed by a year of inactivity in 1958 and a final season at Mississippi Vocational College (since renamed Mississippi Valley State University
Mississippi Valley State University
Mississippi Valley State University is a historically black university located in Itta Bena, Mississippi, in the United States. MVSU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund....
) in 1960.
South Carolina State revoked Jones' scholarship after they learned that he was a part of a civil rights movement. However, one of the assistant football coaches at South Carolina State was leaving to coach at Mississippi Vocational and told Jones and some of the other black players that he could get them scholarships at the new school. While he was playing at Mississippi Vocational, he and his black teammates had to sleep in cots in the opposing team's gym because motels wouldn’t take them on numerous occasions.
Professional career
Jones was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the fourteenth round of the 1961 NFL Draft
1961 NFL Draft
The 1961 National Football League Draft took place on December 27–28, 1960. The league would later hold an expansion draft for the Minnesota Vikings expansion franchise, and the Vikings were also awarded the first selection position in this draft. This draft was also the first regular draft for...
by the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. He then earned a starting role as a defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
and teamed with tackle Merlin Olsen
Merlin Olsen
Merlin Jay Olsen was an American football player in the National Football League, NFL commentator, and actor. He played his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 14 of those seasons, a current record shared with Bruce Matthews...
to give Los Angeles a perennial All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
left side of the defensive line. He became a part of the Fearsome Foursome
Fearsome Foursome
The Fearsome Foursome is a fictional supervillain group in the Marvel Comics universe. It was made up of Devos the Devastator, Huntara, Klaw, and Paibok the Power-Skrull. They worked together to destroy the Fantastic Four, though they also came into conflict with the Avengers....
defensive line of the Rams (along with Lamar Lundy
Lamar Lundy
Lamar J. Lundy, Jr. was an American defensive end with the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League for 13 seasons, from 1957 to 1969. Along with Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, and Rosey Grier, Lundy was a member of the Fearsome Foursome, often considered one of the best defensive lines in...
, Rosey Grier
Rosey Grier
Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier is an American actor, singer, Christian minister, and former professional American football player. He was a notable college football player for Pennsylvania State University who earned a retrospective place in the National Collegiate Athletic Association 100th anniversary...
, and Olsen), which is now considered one of the best lines of all time.
Jones won consensus All-Pro honors five straight years from 1965
1965 NFL season
The 1965 NFL season was the 46th regular season of the National Football League.Because the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts ended up tied in the Western Conference standings after the regular season ended, a conference playoff game was held in Green Bay. Although the Packers had defeated the...
through 1969
1969 NFL season
The 1969 NFL season was the 50th regular season of the National Football League, and the last one before the AFL-NFL Merger. To honor the NFL's 50th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season.As per the...
and was Second-team All-Pro in 1964, 1970, and 1972. He was also in seven straight Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
s, from 1964 to 1970, and was selected to an eighth after the 1972 season
1972 NFL season
The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:...
with the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was voted the team's Outstanding Defensive Lineman by the Los Angeles Rams Alumni in 1962, 64, 65, and 66. In 1971 Jones suffered a severely sprained arch, which caused him to miss four starts and he ended the season with 4½ sacks, his career-low to that point.
In 1972, Jones was included in a multi-player trade with the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
where he was an instant success. He was named San Diego's defensive captain and led all Chargers' defensive linemen in tackles and won a berth on the AFC Pro Bowl squad. He concluded his career with the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in 1974. Along the way Jones was named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Week four times: Week 14, 1967; Week 12, 1968; Week 11, 1969; and Week 10, 1970.
An extremely durable player, Jones missed only six games of a possible 196 regular-season encounters in his 14 National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
seasons.
Sacks
Jones was considered by many to revolutionize the position of defensive end. Jones was noted for coining the term "sack" and for his thighs. What separated Jones from every other defensive end was his blinding speed and his ability to make tackles from sideline to sideline, which was unheard of in his time. He also was the first pass rusher to utilize the head slap, a move that he said "To give myself an initial headstart on the pass rush, in other words a extra step. Because anytime you go upside a man's head, or woman, they may have a tendency to blink they eyes or close they eyes. And that's all I needed."Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
reported he accumulated 194½ sacks over his career, which would be third on the all-time sack list. (Jones would have ranked first all-time at the time of his retirement, and since has been surpassed by two fellow Hall of Famer's Bruce Smith and Reggie White.)
In 1967, Jones had 26 sacks in only 14 games, which (if official) would be the single season record. (The term "sack" had not yet been coined at the time, and official sack statistics were not recorded by the NFL until 1982.) Then in 1968 Jones had 24 sacks in 14 games, also more than the current NFL record. The sum total of these two seasons would give him 50 sacks in 2 seasons, far more than anyone else has achieved.
Unofficial Annual Sack Totals
1961 8,
1962 12,
1963 20,
1964 22,
1965 19,
1966 18,
1967 26,
1968 24,
1969 15,
1970 12,
1971 4½,
1972 6,
1973 5,
1974 3
(Source: St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins Media Guides)
Acting
Jones has worked as a television actor, and appeared in numerous TV programs since the 1970s, most often appearing in cameoCameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
roles. He appeared in an episode of The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple is a 1965 Broadway play by Neil Simon, followed by a successful film and television series, as well as other derivative works and spin offs, many featuring one or more of the same actors. The plot concerns two mismatched roommates, one neat and uptight, the other more easygoing and...
where he and Oscar
Oscar Madison
Oscar Madison is a character in The Odd Couple, which began as a Broadway play, then was a film and then a television series.In The Odd Couple, Oscar Madison is the everyman, and is a sportswriter for the New York Herald...
were in a television commercial selling shaving products. He appeared on The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
and in a Bewitched
Bewitched
Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
episode in 1969 he played a guard to the Giant's castle in Jack & the Beanstalk. Jones also played himself on an episode of Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman (TV series)
Wonder Woman is an American television series based on the DC Comics comic book superhero of the same name. Starring Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and Lyle Waggoner as Steve Trevor, the show originally aired from 1975 to 1979....
in 1978.
In 1978 he played a Viking named 'Thall' in The Norseman. Fellow Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff
Fred Biletnikoff
Frederick S. "Fred" Biletnikoff is a former American football wide receiver and coach. He spent the majority of his professional playing and coaching days with the Oakland Raiders...
joined Jones in that film, also portraying a Norseman. Also in 1978 Jones portrayed a fierce defensive lineman named 'Gorman' in the film Heaven Can Wait
Heaven Can Wait (1978 film)
Heaven Can Wait is a 1978 American comedy film directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry. It is the second film adaptation of Harry Segall's stageplay of the same name, preceded by Here Comes Mr. Jordan and followed by Down to Earth...
.
In the series G vs E
G vs E
G vs. E is an American fantasy-based television action series that had its first season air on USA Network during the summer and autumn of 1999. For the second season the series switched to Sci Fi Channel in early 2000. The series stars Clayton Rohner, Richard Brooks, and Marshall Bell.G vs...
, he played himself, but as an agent of "The Corps". He also played a role in the hit show, ALF
ALF (TV series)
ALF is an American science fiction sitcom that originally aired on NBC from 1986 to 1990, created by Paul Fusco. The title character was Gordon Shumway, a friendly extraterrestrial nicknamed ALF , who crash lands in the garage of the suburban middle-class Tanner family.The series starred Max...
, where he played a father figure to Alf.
Broadcasting
Jones served as a color analyst for Rams broadcasts on KMPCKMPC
KMPC is a radio station based in Los Angeles, California and is owned by P&Y Broadcasting Licensee, LLC. Radio Korea is a division of the Radio Korea Media Group. The station airs Korean-language programming...
radio in the 1994 season
1994 Los Angeles Rams season
The 1994 Los Angeles Rams season was the team's 57th year with the National Football League and the 49th and final season in Los Angeles.-Staff:-Schedule:-Relocation to St. Louis:...
, teaming with Steve Physioc and Jack Snow.
Business
Jones has worked for many companies, including the Miller Brewing CompanyMiller Brewing Company
The Miller Brewing Company is an American beer brewing company owned by the United Kingdom-based SABMiller. Its regional headquarters are located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the company has brewing facilities in Albany, Georgia; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Eden, North Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas;...
, Haggar Clothing
Haggar Clothing
Haggar Clothing Co. is a manufacturer of men's clothing based in Dallas, Texas.Haggar markets clothing in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.-History:...
, Pacific Coast Medical Enterprises, and Epson America
Seiko Epson
, commonly known as Epson, is a Japanese technology company and one of the world's largest manufacturers of computer printers, information and imaging related equipment...
, and represented the NFL and Champion Products
Champion (sportswear)
Champion is a manufacturer of clothing, specializing in sportswear. The brand is a subsidiary of HanesBrands Inc. , which was spun off by the Sara Lee Corporation....
as spokesman for their Throwback campaigns. Jones was also chairman for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in their national hypertension awareness program.
Community involvement
Jones recently traveled to IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
to meet with troops stationed there and U.S. General Tommy Franks
Tommy Franks
Tommy Ray Franks is a retired general in the United States Army. His last Army post was as the Commander of the United States Central Command, overseeing United States Armed Forces operations in a 25-country region, including the Middle East...
.
Jones currently serves as the president and CEO of the Deacon Jones Foundation, an organization he founded in 1997 "to assist young people and the communities in which they live with a comprehensive program that includes education, mentoring, corporate internship, and community service."
Honors
He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in his first year of eligibility in 1980, and was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994. In 1999, he was ranked number 13 on The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, the highest-ranked player to have played for the Rams franchise, the highest-ranked defensive end, and the second-ranked defensive lineman behind Bob Lilly
Bob Lilly
Robert Lewis Lilly is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League and photographer. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.-College career:...
. The same year, he was named by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
as the "Defensive End of the Century".
- 1978 Elected to South Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
- 1980 Inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- 1981 Voted to the Central Florida Sports Hall of Fame
- 1984 Elected to the Florida Sports Hall of FameFlorida Sports Hall of FameThe Florida Sports Hall of Fame is an association dedicated to honoring athletes with outstanding achievement in sports in Florida. It has expanded its goals to include encouraging physical fitness among Florida's citizens through the example of its honorees.The FSHOF was founded by the Florida...
- 1991 Recipient of the Vince LombardiVince LombardiVincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
Award Presented by the Boy Scouts of AmericaBoy Scouts of AmericaThe Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
- 1995 Elected to Black Sports Hall of Fame
- 1996 Recipient of the first annual Round Table Award Presented by Pop Warner Little Scholars
- 1999 Recipient of the Gale SayersGale SayersGale Eugene Sayers also known as "The Kansas Comet", is a former professional football player in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears....
Lifetime Spirit Achievement Award
- 1999 Awarded "The Order of the Leather Helmet" by the NFL Alumni Organization, their highest honor
- 2001 Winner of the NFL Alumni Spirit Award for community service
- 2005 recipient of the Junior SeauJunior SeauTiaina Baul "Junior" Seau is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers during the 1990 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California and was the progenitor of the "NFL-USC linebacker".A ten-time All-Pro and...
Foundation Legend of the Year Award
- 2007 named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida's history.
- 2009 his number 75 was retired by the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on September 27, 2009 at the Edward Jones Dome.
Music
Jones was a rhythm and blues singer during his football days, being backed by the band Nightshift, which later became WarWar (band)
War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...
. Jones was featured in "Why Can't We Be Friends" which he recorded with War. Jones appeared as a singer on "The Hollywood Palace" in 1967 and 1968, and on the Merv Griffin
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
Show in 1970, performing his singing skills.