Brad Jones (American football)

Last updated

Brad Jones
Brad Jones Packers LB.jpg
Jones with the Packers in 2012
No. 59, 52
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1986-04-01) April 1, 1986 (age 38)
Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:247 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school: East Lansing (MI)
College: Colorado
NFL draft: 2009  / Round: 7 / Pick: 218
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:263
Sacks:10.0
Forced fumbles:2
Fumble recoveries:1
Player stats at PFR

Bradley Edward Jones (born April 1, 1986) is a former American football linebacker. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft, and played college football at Colorado. With the Packers, he was part of their Super Bowl XLV team that beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Contents

Early life

Jones played football for East Lansing High School from 2000-2003. As a senior captain and team MVP, Jones was a First-team All-State selection and All-state Dream Team performer by the Detroit Free Press, when the Lansing State Journal also named him the Defensive Player of the Year. During his senior and junior years he earned First-team All-Conference (Capitol Area Athletic Conference), All-area and All-area Dream Team honors by the Lansing State Journal. The Detroit Free Press made him an All-State special mention honoree his junior year, as he also earned a spot on the First-team All-conference when he was a sophomore.

As a senior, he recorded 117 total tackles (79 solo), 18 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, two fumble recoveries (including one for a 70-yard touchdown), five forced fumbles, four interceptions (with one going for a 30-yard touchdown), 15 quarterback hurries and six pass deflections. On offense, where he also started at tight end, he reeled in 27 passes and five touchdowns for 501 yards. As a junior and dual starter once again, he compiled 110 total tackles (62 solo), 11 stuffs for loss, five sacks, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, five quarterback pressures, three pass breakups and one blocked field goal. He also caught 12 balls and one touchdown totaling 280 yards. During his sophomore season, he finished with 99 total stops (42 solo), six tackles for loss, two sacks, one recovered fumble, one interception, three quarterback hurries and one pass deflection, while also netting one reception for 30 yards. East Lansing was the 9-2 conference champs his senior year, 6-4 his junior season and 13-1 his sophomore year, losing in the second round of the state playoffs.

In addition to football, he lettered four years in track & field, where he competed in the 200-meter dash (21.7 career-best) and the 110m hurdles (14.32 career-best), earning All-area and All-regional runner-up honors as a junior. He also played basketball as a freshman and sophomore.

College career

In 2008 Jones started all 12 games at outside linebacker, earning honorable mention All-Big 12; He was CU’s co-defensive player of the year, as selected by the coaches (Dave Jones Award). He racked up 78 tackles, of which 48 were solo and 14 for losses, including seven sacks. He also led the team in quarterback hurries with 14 and also forced two fumbles, had a pass breakup and three chasedowns (near sacks). In 2007, he started all 13 games including the Independence Bowl at the “sam” outside linebacker position, and posted 72 tackles on the year (45 solo), with six for losses including a pair of quarterback sacks. He also had nine third down stops, seven hurries, five tackles for zero and three passes broken up. In 2006, he played in all 12 games, starting 11 and he finished third on the team in tackles with 72 (41 solo). Though he had a season-low two stops at Kansas, he did make his first career interception against the Jayhawks. He had six third down stops on the season, and he was credited with half a quarterback sack against Iowa State, the first of his career. He also had two hurries and a pass broken up. In 2005, he played in all 13 games, including the Champs Sports Bowl (no starts), making 20 tackles on the year, including 16 solo and one for a loss, to go with two third down stops, a quarterback hurry and pass broken up. In 2004, he redshirted.

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeight 40-yard dash 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 3 in
(1.91 m)
232 lb
(105 kg)
4.49 s4.21 s6.75 s33 in
(0.84 m)
9 ft 11 in
(3.02 m)
19 reps
All values from Colorado Pro Day

Green Bay Packers

Jones was selected by the Packers in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft, and moved into a starting role during the 2009 season after a season-ending injury to linebacker/defensive end Aaron Kampman. [1] [2] [3] Although taken in a lower round and not said to have many of the qualities expected for an NFL linebacker, Jones surprised many with a high degree of production, accruing four sacks and holding his own for the remainder of the season. [4] [5] His work ethic and moral standards were thought very highly of by the Packers' coaching staff.

Jones became the permanent starting outside linebacker when Aaron Kampman signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2010 offseason. He remained the starter on the right side until he suffered a shoulder injury in a game against the division rival Minnesota Vikings. He was placed on injured reserve three days later.

On January 1, 2012, during the regular season finale versus the Detroit Lions, Jones tackled a 15-year-old fan who had run onto the field. [6]

Following the 2011-2012 season, the Packers moved Jones to inside linebacker, where he earned a roster spot as mainly a special teams player. Following season-ending injuries to Desmond Bishop and D.J. Smith, Jones started every game from week 6 on, including the playoffs, he went on to have his best season as a pro, recording 77 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 passes defensed and one forced fumble. After The 2012-2013, The Packers re-signed Jones to a 3 year $11.25 million dollar contract extension, and released Desmond Bishop, which put Jones and A. J. Hawk atop the depth-chart for the Packers at middle linebacker for the 2013-2014 season. On February 20, 2015, he was released by the Packers.

Philadelphia Eagles

On March 2, 2015, Jones signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. [7] On November 11, 2015, Jones was cut from his contract with the Eagles.

NFL statistics

Source: [8]

SeasonTeamGamesTackles
GPGSTotalSoloAstSckInt
2009 Green Bay Packers 147332674.00
2010 Green Bay Packers 6527161100
2011 Green Bay Packers 151191271.00
2012 Green Bay Packers 16107756212.00
2013 Green Bay Packers 12128460243.00
2014 Green Bay Packers 1311812600
2015 Philadelphia Eagles 7054100
Total83362631867610.00

Personal life

Jones is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.[ citation needed ]

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References

  1. "2009 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
  2. "A Glimpse of the Future? Brad Jones Will Start Against Cowboys". November 14, 2009.
  3. "Jones creates new dilemma".
  4. "A Case for Brad Jones: Why the Green Bay Packers Don't Need to Draft an OLB". Bleacher Report .
  5. "Brad Jones is a Forgotten Man in Merriman/Kampman Rumors". Bleacher Report .
  6. "Green Bay Packers Video: Watch Brad Jones Tackle Unwelcome Guest at Lambeau". Bleacher Report .
  7. "Philadelphia Eagles sign ex-Packers LB Brad Jones". NFL.com. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  8. "Statistics". Archived from the original on December 23, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.