Today is a sad day for Football fans as one of the greatest Defensive players of all-time has passed away. Legendary Defensive End, Deacon Jones passed away today at the age of 74 due to natural causes. Jones has been called by many fans and sports historians as the greatest Defensive End who ever lived, and by his list of accolades, it is easy to see why.
Jones was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 14th Round in 1961, and three years after he made his first Pro Bowl. He would become part of the Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome”, which was the most talented group of defensive players in the NFL in the 1960’s. Of the foursome (which also included Merlin Olsen, Rosey Grier & Lamar Lundy), Jones was the most “feared” and the man who gave the world of sports, the Sack.
That is a bit of an ironic statement, as the Quarterback Sack was not an official stat until 1982, however it is widely accepted that Deacon Jones was the master of pass rushing of the 1960’s. Unofficially, Jones has 194 ½ sacks, which would put him at third in the all-time list. Also unofficially, he recorded 26 sacks in 1967 which would have remained a single season record.
From 1965 to 1969, Jones was named as a First Team All Pro, and was also named to the NFL 75th Anniversary team. He was also selected to three Second Team All Pro squads; the 1960’s All-Decade Team and was named to eight Pro Bowls. Deacon Jones was also the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1967 and 1968.
Despite having one of the most impressive resumes in the NFL, many remember Jones for his television appearances on The Brady Bunch, The Odd Couple and Bewitched. He also had a small role in the acclaimed football film, Heaven Can Wait.
We offer our condolences to the family and friends of Deacon Jones and are going to search out old film of his famed moments.
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