Rod Jones (cornerback)

For the offensive lineman, see Rod Jones (offensive lineman). For the tight end, see Rod Jones (tight end).
Rod Jones
No. 22
Position: Cornerback
Personal information
Date of birth: (1964-03-31) March 31, 1964
Place of birth: Dallas, Texas
Career information
College: Southern Methodist
NFL draft: 1986 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Tackles: Not available
Interceptions: 10
Touchdowns: 0
Player stats at NFL.com

Roderick Wayne Jones (born March 31, 1964 in Dallas, Texas) is a former professional American football cornerback who was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1st round (25th overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 1982 graduate of South Oak Cliff High School and former player for Southern Methodist University,[1] Jones played in 11 seasons for the Bucs and Cincinnati Bengals from 1986 to 1996. At SMU, he was an All-American in the 400 meters, and won national titles with the 1,600-meter relay team in 1984 and 1986. The latter occurred only four days before his report to Buccaneers training camp. He won SMU's Big Hit award in his last two football seasons, where he was nicknamed "K.O." for his hard-hitting play.[2] He was later named as one of the players who had received slush-fund money in the scandal that resulted in SMU receiving the "death penalty" from the NCAA.[3]

Jones was the first of the 1986 first-round draft picks to sign with his team. There was concern that his contract, described as "terrible" by sports agents, would set a bad precedent in negotiations that year. It featured a high signing bonus and a salary far below the previous year's average.[4] He was inserted immediately into the Bucs' starting lineup as a rookie. In his professional career, he appeared in 146 games, intercepting 10 passes for 49 yards.

Rod’s claim to fame is having caught Bo Jackson, who appeared to have a touchdown, from behind after an 88 yard run in 1990.

References

  1. ↑ "My High School: South Oak Cliff," The Dallas Morning News sports section online.
  2. ↑ Kaufman, Michelle. "His primary goal is secondary". St. Petersburg Times. 12 Jun 1986
  3. ↑ Sullivan, Robert and Craig Neff. "Shame on You, SMU". Sports Illustrated. 9 Mar 1987
  4. ↑ Steele, David. "Rod Jones' salary 'terrible'". St. Petersburg Evening Independent. 16 Jul 1986


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