Cardale Jones facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cardale Jones

Jones with the DC Defenders in 2020
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	(1992-09-29) September 29, 1992 (age 32) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:	260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
High school:	Glenville (Cleveland)
College:	Ohio State (2012–2015)
NFL Draft:	2016 / Round: 4 / Pick: 139
Career history
Buffalo Bills (2016) Los Angeles Chargers (2017–2019) Seattle Seahawks (2019)* DC Defenders (2020) Edmonton Elks (2022)* Massachusetts Pirates (2023)*
Career highlights and awards
CFP national champion (2014)
Career NFL statistics
Pass completions: 6 Pass attempts: 11 TD-INT: 0–1 Passing yards: 96 Passer rating: 46
Player stats at PFR
Player stats at CFL.ca

Cardale Jones (born September 29, 1992) is an American professional football quarterback. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. There, he helped his team win the CFP national championship. The Buffalo Bills chose him in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft. He also played for other teams like the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle Seahawks in the National Football League (NFL). Later, he joined the DC Defenders in the XFL, the Edmonton Elks in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the Massachusetts Pirates in the Indoor Football League (IFL).

Early Life and High School Football

Cardale Jones grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He went to Ginn Academy and played football for Glenville High School. At Glenville, he was coached by Ted Ginn Sr.. In 2009, Jones led his high school team, the Tarblooders, to the OHSAA D-I Championship game. This is a big state championship for high school football.

Besides football, Jones also played basketball and ran track in high school. Experts at Rivals.com thought he was a good football player, rating him as a three-star recruit. He decided to play college football at Ohio State University in October 2011.

College Football Career

Cardale Jones played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He had an interesting journey during his time there.

Starting Out at Ohio State (2012-2013)

When Jones first joined Ohio State in 2012, he was a redshirted freshman. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in any games. During this time, he caused some discussion because of a message he posted online.

reference or ID parameter required.

	Cardale Jones
	@Cordale10

Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS

October 5, 2012

This message received a lot of attention. As a result, Jones was suspended for one game. His coach, Urban Meyer, later said that Jones had changed a lot and was doing better in his classes. Jones worked hard and eventually graduated from Ohio State in May 2017. He earned a bachelor's degree in African-American Studies.

In 2013, his first year playing, Jones was used only a little bit. He played in 39 snaps, tried one pass, and ran for 128 yards. He also scored one touchdown.

Championship Season (2014)

Jones in 2014, playing in a spring game for Ohio State.

In 2014, Jones was the third-string quarterback for the Buckeyes. This meant he was behind two other players, Braxton Miller and J. T. Barrett. However, things changed when Barrett got injured. Jones got his first chance to start in the Big Ten Championship Game.

He led the Ohio State team to a huge 59–0 win against the Wisconsin Badgers. Jones was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of that game. This big win helped Ohio State get into the first-ever college football playoffs.

Jones then started his second college game in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Buckeyes faced the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Ohio State won 42–35, moving on to the championship game.

In the College Football National Championship game, Jones played great again. He led the Buckeyes to a 42–20 victory over the Oregon Ducks. He gained 280 total yards and scored two touchdowns. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 242 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for 38 yards and another touchdown.

After winning the championship, many wondered if Jones would leave college early for the NFL. But he decided to stay at Ohio State for at least another year. He felt he was "not ready for that level yet" because he had only started in three college games.

Final College Season (2015)

Jones playing for Ohio State in 2015.

In 2015, Jones competed with J. T. Barrett for the starting quarterback spot. Jones was named the starter for the first game against Virginia Tech. He had his best game for passing yards and completions against Maryland. He completed 21 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns.

After starting the first seven games, Barrett took over as the main quarterback. After Ohio State's last home game, Jones announced he would enter the 2016 NFL draft.

College Statistics

Professional Football Career

Cardale Jones moved on to play professional football after college.

NFL Draft and Early Career

Even though he only started 11 games in college, the Buffalo Bills chose Cardale Jones in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft. He was the 139th player picked overall. In June 2016, the Bills signed him to his first professional contract.

During the 2016 season, Jones was usually the third-string quarterback. This meant he was behind the main starter and the backup. He played in one game, the last one of the season, after the main quarterback was rested. Jones completed 6 of 11 passes for 96 yards. He did not score any touchdowns but threw one interception.

Moving to Other Teams

In July 2017, Jones was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers. He stayed with the Chargers until August 2019, though he spent some time on their practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but are not on the main roster.

In September 2019, Jones briefly joined the Seattle Seahawks practice squad. However, he was released later that month.

XFL and Other Leagues

In October 2019, Jones was assigned to the DC Defenders in the new XFL league. He signed with the team in November 2019. In his first XFL start, Jones played very well. He completed 16 of 26 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing yards. This helped the DC Defenders get their first win.

Jones also led the Defenders to the XFL's first shutout victory. They beat the New York Guardians 27–0. He threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns in that game. The XFL league stopped playing in April 2020, which ended his contract with the Defenders.

Later, Jones signed with the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in May 2022. However, he was released by the team shortly after. In December 2022, he signed with the Massachusetts Pirates in the Indoor Football League (IFL). He later left the team in August 2023.

Professional Statistics

Source