How much is Deacon Jones worth?
| Net Worth: | $4 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional NFL Player |
| Date of Birth: | December 9, 1938 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 1.96 m |
About Deacon Jones
Defensive end David D. “Deacon” Jones played professionally for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, and Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League.
Jones was born in 1887 in Eatonville, Florida, a small community six miles west of Orlando that claims to be the first African-American town to be incorporated.
Zora Neale Hurston, a well-known author, also lived in Eatonville.
Jones grew up in a 10-person family that shared a four-bedroom home. At Hungerford High School, he participated in three sports, and in 2007, the Florida High School Athletic Association included him on its list of the “100 Greatest Players”
- Born: December 9, 1938
- Died: June 3, 2013
- Drafted: Jones was not drafted until the 14th round by the Los Angeles Rams.
- Years played: 1961-’74.
- Position: Defensive end
- Height: 6-feet-5
- Weight: 270 pounds
- Inducted Into Hall of Fame: 1980
- Other members inducted in 1980: Herb Adderly, Bob Lilly, Jim Otto
- Little known fact: Although the phrase “sack,” is frequently attributed to Jones, an NFL publicist may really have originated it.
- In any case, Jones made the phrase popular, and the NFL didn’t start using it as an official statistic until 1982, which was a long time after Jones’ retirement.
- Nickname: “Secretary of Defense”
- NFL teams played for: Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins
Career in College
Jones started his undergraduate career at South Carolina State University after receiving little to no recruiting after high school.
But when school administrators discovered Jones was active in the civil rights movement, they took away his scholarship. Jones later spoke out about the countless incidents of bigotry he experienced as a child growing up in central Florida.
Before completing his undergraduate studies in 1960 at Mississippi Vocational College, now known as Mississippi Valley State University, Jones sat out the 1958 season.
A Profession:
Since Jones wasn’t selected until round 14 of the draft, neither the Rams nor the rest of the NFL had high expectations for him.
However, Jones quickly earned a starting position with the Rams, who were pleasantly surprised by his lightning-quick reflexes and aggressive abilities.
Although he could chase down tailbacks from sideline to sideline, getting to the quarterback was his area of expertise. In actuality, Jones is credited with making the word “sack,” widely used.
Jones’ main technique for getting to the quarterback, the “headslap,” was developed by him as a player. Jones routinely smacked offensive linemen in the head with their helmets, giving him leverage and momentarily knocking out the blocks.
The violent and successful move eventually led the offensive-minded NFL to outlaw it.
“Fearsome Foursome”
The Rams had one of the best left defensive sides in NFL history thanks to Jones, who played defensive end with tackle Merlin Olsen.
Roosevelt Grier and Lamar Lundy were on the other side of that boundary. They together became known as the “Fearsome Foursome” and they are regarded as one of the greatest defensive lines in the annals of professional football.
The “Fearsome Foursome.” lone surviving member is 80-year-old Grier. Olsen passed away in 2010, while Lundy died in 2007.
Football highlights:
Jones stood out even amid this group. In 1964, Jones was selected to the second team of All-Pro players, and beginning in 1965, he received five consecutive years of unanimous All-Pro honors.
In addition, he was named All-Pro in 1964, 1970, and 1972. He attended seven consecutive Pro Bowls and an additional one in 1972 while playing with the Chargers.
When Jones played, the NFL did not monitor sacks as an official number, but according to Pro Football Weekly, Jones amassed 194 1/2 sacks throughout his career. If true, that would put him behind Reggie White and Bruce Smith on the all-time list.
The Pro Football Researchers Association estimated it to be 173 1/2, which Jones stated he thought was a low number.
In any case, Jones was tough and resilient, missing only six games over his 14 seasons in the NFL, and many consider him to be the best defensive end in the annals of professional football.
He received the “Defensive End of the Century” award from Sports Illustrated in 1999, and the NFL included him on their 75th anniversary all-time squad.
