The St. Louis Rams join the NFL community in mourning the loss of Deacon Jones, one of the greatest players in both team and league history.
“Deacon Jones was one of the rare players who changed the way the game was played,” Rams C.O.O./Executive Vice President of Football Operations Kevin Demoff said. “In this day and age, the term ‘great’ is often overused, but it only begins to describe Deacon Jones as a player and person. His combination of God-given talent and relentless effort made him one of the greatest players to ever put on an NFL uniform. His spirit, laughter and gentle nature off the field made him a friend to all. Deacon was a legend in every sense of the word, and he’ll truly be missed by the Rams, our fans and the NFL community. Our prayers are with Deacon’s wife Elizabeth on this sad day.”
Jones, who coined the term “sack the quarterback,” played for the Rams from 1961-71. He was nicknamed the Secretary of Defense and was widely considered as one of the greatest defensive players to play the game.
While sacks didn’t become an official record until 1982, unofficial accounts of Jones’ totals show that few players in NFL history attacked opposing quarterback with his vigor. Jones recorded a team-best 159.5 sacks with the Rams and 173.5 for his career. He registered 21 sacks during the 1967 season and reached double-digit sack totals seven times, including three 20-sack seasons.
“Deacon Jones was one of the most prolific defenders ever to play the game of football,” said Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher. “His tenacity on the field, attitude, and his determination to ‘sack’ the quarterback propelled his Hall of Fame career and made him one of the most recognizable figures in sports. Beyond the football field, Deacon was a well-respected ambassador for the Rams organization and a beloved person in the NFL community. We are saddened by this loss and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Jones became the first defensive lineman to record 100 solo tackles in a single season (1967) and was voted the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year twice (1967, 1968). Jones was voted to the Pro Bowl nine times, including seven straight with the Rams (1964-70). He was voted to the NFL’s all-Decade team in the 1960s and was selected to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary team in 1994.
For most of the 1960s Jones, along with Hall of Fame defensive end Merlin Olsen, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier, made up the Fearsome Foursome, considered one of the best defensive lines in NFL history.
Jones was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980. His number 75 was retired by the Rams in 2009.
For more on this story see the following:
http://proplayerinsiders.com/deacon-jones-dead-at-74/
http://proplayerinsiders.com/former-giants-de-michael-strahan-on-the-passing-of-deacon-jones/
http://proplayerinsiders.com/rams-mourn-loss-of-jones/
http://proplayerinsiders.com/outpouring-of-tributes-to-deacon-jones/
http://proplayerinsiders.com/nflpa-statement-on-the-passing-of-deacon-jones/
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