Travis Jones (American football coach)

Last updated

Travis Jones
Personal information
Born: (1972-06-06) June 6, 1972 (age 50)
Irwinton, Georgia, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High school:Wilkinson County (GA)
College: Georgia
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards
Player stats at ArenaFan.com

Travis Jones (born June 6, 1972) is a former American football player and former assistant coach. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1990 to 1992 and 1994 and professional football for the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League in 1995 and the Florida Bobcats of the Arena Football League in 1996. In a coaching career of more than 20 years, he was a member of Nick Saban's staff at LSU that led the 2003 team to the national championship. He was also an assistant coach on teams that won Super Bowl championships, first with the 2009 New Orleans Saints and later with the 2013 Seattle Seahawks. He was most recently an assistant coach for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL).

Contents

Playing career

Jones played college football as a linebacker and later defensive tackle for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1990 to 1992 and 1994. He played for the 1992 Georgia team that recorded a 10–2 record and a No. 8 ranking. In the 1993 Citrus Bowl, he recovered a fumble from Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit in the fourth quarter to set up the winning score. [1]

Jones was regarded as Georgia's best defensive lineman coming into the 1993 season. [2] However, in August 1993, he was hospitalized with rhabdonmyolysis, a condition that results in the secretion of more waste than the kidneys can handle. [3] [4] Because the condition was exacerbated by exercise, some recommended that Jones retire from playing football. [5] In mid-September, Jones announced his intention to return to the team. [2] However, the team doctor opposed the comeback, and Jones was redshirted for the 1993 season. In October 1993, he was named to the College Football Association's Good Works Team for his work with Special Olympics and a local homeless shelter.

Jones made a comeback with Georgia in 1994.

After graduating from Georgia, Jones played two years of professional football. He spent the 1995 season with the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League. In 1996, he played for the Florida Bobcats of the Arena Football League. [6] [7] [8]

Coaching career

Jones began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Georgia. He has since spent more than 20 years as an assistant coach in college and professional football, including stints with Appalachian State (1998–2000), Kansas (2001–2002), LSU (2003–2004), Miami Dolphins (2005–2007), New Orleans Saints (2008–2012), Seattle Seahawks (2013–2017), [9] and Atlanta Falcons (2018-2019).

Jones was a member of Nick Saban's staff at LSU that led the 2003 team to the national championship. He was also the position coach for 2003 SEC Defensive Player of the Years Chad Lavalais. [9] He has also twice served as an assistant coach on teams that won Super Bowl championships, first with the 2009 New Orleans Saints and later as the defensive line coach for the 2013 Seattle Seahawks. [10] [11]

In 2010, he pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and was suspended by the New Orleans Saints for 30 days for his role in a Texas real estate scam. [8]

On April 9, 2018, Jones was hired as the assistant defensive line coach with the Atlanta Falcons. Jones returns to work under Coach Dan Quinn as Quinn's first season as Seattle’s defensive coordinator coincided with Jones' first season as defensive line coach with the Seahawks. [12]

The Atlanta Falcons announced in January 2020 that Jones would not return to the coaching staff for the 2020 season. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta Falcons</span> National Football League franchise in Atlanta, Georgia

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons were founded on June 30, 1965, and joined the NFL in 1966 as an expansion team, after the NFL offered then-owner Rankin Smith a franchise to keep him from joining the rival American Football League (AFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim L. Mora</span> American football player and coach (born 1961)

James Lawrence Mora is an American football coach who is the head coach at the University of Connecticut. Before that, he was the head coach of the UCLA Bruins of the Pac-12 Conference from 2012 to 2017. Prior to taking the job at UCLA, Mora served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL), coaching the Atlanta Falcons from 2004 to 2006 and Seattle Seahawks in 2009. He has also served as an analyst for NFL Network and Fox Sports.

The National Football Conference - Western Division or NFC West is one of the four divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Arizona Cardinals, the Los Angeles Rams, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Seattle Seahawks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deshea Townsend</span> American football player and coach (born 1975)

Trevor Deshea Townsend is an American football coach and former cornerback who is the passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals.

Kris Richard is an American football coach and former player who was most recently the defensive backs coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks.

Lance A. Schulters is an American football coach and a former American football safety. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Hofstra.

Brian Cornelius Schottenheimer is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, St. Louis Rams and the University of Georgia and also served as an assistant coach for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquand Manuel</span> American football player and coach (born 1979)

Marquand Alexander Manuel is an American football coach and former safety who is the safeties coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons and as an assistant coach for the Seattle Seahawks. After playing college football for the University of Florida, he was selected in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played for eight seasons in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Detroit Lions. He was the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2017 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian VanGorder</span> American football player and coach (born 1959)

Brian VanGorder is an American football coach and former player. He was the defensive coordinator at Bowling Green State University, a position he assumed in 2019. Prior to that, he was defensive coordinator at the University of Louisville. He served as the head football coach at Wayne State University from 1992 to 1994, and Georgia Southern University in 2006, compiling a career college football record of 19–25. VanGorder was the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) from 2008 to 2011, and also worked in the same capacity for the University of Georgia (2001–2004) and Auburn University (2012). VanGorder is married to the former Ruth Jones. His children are Molloy, Morgan, Mack, Montgomery, Malone, and Freddie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derek Dooley (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1968)

Derek Dooley is an American football coach and former player who is a senior offensive analyst for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He served as the head football coach at Louisiana Tech University from 2007 to 2009 and the University of Tennessee from 2010 to 2012.

Tony Taylor is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Georgia.

Nick Jones is an American football coach and former player. He is an offensive assistant for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played center for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Ken Flajole is an American football coach who is the outside linebackers coach for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He was the defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams from 2009 to 2011. He won Super Bowl LII as the linebackers coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Quinn (American football)</span> American football coach (born 1970)

Daniel Patrick Quinn is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks from 2013 to 2014, serving as the play-caller for the team's Legion of Boom secondary. Under Quinn, Seattle led the league in defense and made two consecutive Super Bowl appearances, winning the franchise's first in Super Bowl XLVIII. This success led to Quinn being named head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, where he served for six seasons.

Chad Walker was an American football coach who last was the Safeties coach for the Atlanta Falcons. Chad spent his first two seasons in Atlanta as the assistant defensive backs coach. He was formerly a quality control assistant at the University of Oklahoma before he joined the Falcons as a defensive assistant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deion Jones</span> American football player (born 1994)

Deion Jones is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at LSU, and was selected by Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garrison Smith</span> American football player (born 1991)

Garrison Smith is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football at Georgia. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins in 2014, and has also played for the New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, and Arizona Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Belichick</span> American football coach (born 1987)

Stephen C. Belichick is an American football coach who is the outside linebackers coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He formerly was the team's safeties coach and worked as a defensive assistant since he began coaching in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell Gage</span> American football player (born 1996)

Russell Gage Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Andre Curtis is an American football safeties coach for the Chicago Bears. He was a former linebacker at Virginia Military Institute.

References

  1. "Georgia's Jones points to almost perfect season". The Orlando Sentinel. January 2, 1993. p. C2 via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 "Dogs hope Jones bolsters defense: Nose guard to play Saturday after recovering from kidney disorder". The Atlanta Constitution. September 21, 1993. p. E7 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Bulldogs' Jones stays in hospital". The Atlanta Constitution. August 17, 1993. p. E7 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Hospital releases Jones; lineman may be out a month". The Atlanta Constitution. August 21, 1993. p. D8 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Kidney disorder may force nose guard Jones out of football". The Atlanta Constitution. August 26, 1993. p. D15 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Jones named LSU assistant coach". Daily World. January 14, 2003. p. 9 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Jones latest addition to LSU Tiger staff". The Rayne Acadian-Tribune. January 16, 2003. p. 8 via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 "Saints assistant suspended for role in real estate scam". Associated Press. August 30, 2010.
  9. 1 2 "Travis Jones Bio". Seattle Seahawks. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  10. "Seahawks Drop Jones". The Spokesman Review. January 23, 2018. p. B2.
  11. "Super Bowl XLVIII - Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos - February 2nd, 2014". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  12. McFadden, Will. "Falcons Add To Coaching Staff, Hire Two Defensive Assistants". AtlantaFalcons.com. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  13. "Falcons defensive assistants Henderson, Jones won't return". USA Today. Retrieved December 26, 2021.