Julius Jones (American football) facts for kids
Jones with the Seahawks in 2009
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | August 14, 1981 Big Stone Gap, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 208 lb (94 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Powell Valley (Big Stone Gap, Virginia) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Notre Dame (1999–2001, 2003) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2004 / Round: 2 / Pick: 43 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Julius Andre Maurice Jones was born on August 14, 1981. He is an American former professional football player. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Julius played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Dallas Cowboys picked him in the second round of the 2004 NFL draft. He also played for the Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Julius Jones grew up in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. His mother, Betty, worked hard in a Virginia coal mine to raise seven children. One of his brothers is also a famous football player, Thomas Jones. Julius's parents taught their children to be ambitious and work hard. This helped him a lot in his football career.
Julius went to Powell Valley High School. He was a top athlete in football, basketball, and track. In his senior year of football, he ran for 2,564 yards and scored 36 touchdowns. He was even named an All-American.
Jones helped his school win 28 games in a row. They also won the Virginia state title in 1997 and 1998. He was named the Virginia Group A Offensive Player of the Year twice. By the end of high school, he had run for 5,803 yards and scored 86 touchdowns. He also played safety and made 10 interceptions.
College Football Career
Julius Jones played college football at Notre Dame. He was there from 1999 to 2001 and then again in 2003. As a freshman, he mostly played on special teams. He led the team in kickoff and punt return yards.
In 2002, Julius was suspended from the team for academic reasons. He returned in 2003 and had an amazing season. He started as a backup but became the main running back. He set a school record by rushing for 262 yards in one game. He also had three games where he ran for over 200 yards.
Jones finished his college career with over 3,000 rushing yards. He is one of only four running backs in Notre Dame history to do this. He also set school records for kickoff return yards (1,678) and all-purpose yards (5,372).
Professional Football Career
Julius Jones was a talented player coming out of college. He was known for his speed and agility.
Dallas Cowboys
Joining the Cowboys in 2004
After the legendary Emmitt Smith left, the Dallas Cowboys needed a new star running back. They picked Julius Jones in the second round of the 2004 NFL draft. Early in his first season, he got injured. This meant he missed some games.
When he returned, he played very well. In a Thanksgiving Day game against his brother Thomas and the Chicago Bears, Julius rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns. He was named "player of the game." He finished his rookie season with over 800 rushing yards in just 8 games. Fans were excited about his future with the Cowboys.
Injuries and Competition in 2005
In 2005, Julius aimed for a big season. However, he suffered an ankle injury early on. This made him miss three games. Rookie running back Marion Barber III played well while Julius was out. This created a competition for the starting spot.
Jones still showed his talent, like when he rushed for 194 yards against the Carolina Panthers. He nearly reached 1,000 rushing yards that season, falling just 7 yards short.
Sharing the Load in 2006
In 2006, Jones focused on staying healthy. He started strong, but his playing time began to be shared with Marion Barber. The coach wanted to keep both players fresh. Julius still had a great season, rushing for 1,084 yards. He was the first Cowboys running back to reach 1,000 yards since Emmitt Smith in 2001. He also rushed for 112 yards in a playoff game.
Final Season with Dallas in 2007
The 2007 season was Julius's last with the Cowboys. He was the starting running back for all 16 games. However, Marion Barber started getting more carries. Julius had his lowest rushing yards total as a professional. The coach eventually decided to start Barber in the playoffs. Julius left the Cowboys ranked eighth on their all-time rushing list.
Seattle Seahawks
Starting Fresh in Seattle (2008-2009)
In 2008, Julius Jones signed with the Seattle Seahawks. He quickly became their starting running back. In his second game, he rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown. He followed that with 140 yards and another touchdown the next week. He led the Seahawks in rushing yards in both 2008 (698 yards) and 2009 (663 yards). In 2009, he also scored his first two receiving touchdowns of his career.
Leaving the Seahawks in 2010
In 2010, Julius restructured his contract to stay with the Seahawks. However, he was released in October after the team traded for another running back, Marshawn Lynch.
New Orleans Saints
Joining the Saints in 2010
After leaving the Seahawks, Julius Jones signed with the New Orleans Saints in October 2010. He played in 10 games for them. In a playoff game against his former team, the Seattle Seahawks, Julius scored two touchdowns. He was the first player to score a playoff touchdown against a team that had cut him in the same season. He was not re-signed after the playoffs.
NFL Career Statistics
Julius Jones had a successful NFL career. He rushed for over 5,000 yards and scored 22 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 150 passes for over 1,000 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns.
Regular Season
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2004 | DAL | 8 | 7 | 197 | 819 | 4.2 | 53 | 7 | 17 | 108 | 6.4 | 37 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 2005 | DAL | 13 | 12 | 257 | 993 | 3.9 | 51 | 5 | 35 | 218 | 6.2 | 26 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 2006 | DAL | 16 | 16 | 267 | 1,084 | 4.1 | 77 | 4 | 8 | 142 | 15.8 | 39 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2007 | DAL | 16 | 16 | 164 | 588 | 3.6 | 25 | 2 | 23 | 203 | 8.8 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | SEA | 15 | 10 | 158 | 698 | 4.4 | 33 | 2 | 14 | 66 | 4.7 | 17 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 2009 | SEA | 14 | 14 | 177 | 663 | 3.7 | 62 | 2 | 35 | 232 | 6.6 | 49 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | SEA | 10 | 2 | 48 | 193 | 4.0 | 54 | 0 | 17 | 59 | 3.5 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| NO | 2 | 0 | 12 | 30 | 2.5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career | 94 | 77 | 1,280 | 5,068 | 4.0 | 77 | 22 | 149 | 1,028 | 6.9 | 39 | 2 | 13 | 9 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2006 | DAL | 1 | 1 | 22 | 112 | 5.1 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | DAL | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 2.7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | NO | 1 | 0 | 15 | 59 | 3.9 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 61 | 0.0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Career | 94 | 77 | 1,280 | 5,068 | 4.0 | 77 | 22 | 8 | 61 | 7.6 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
Personal Life
Julius Jones is the younger brother of fellow running back Thomas Jones. In 2006, they made history. They became the first brothers in the NFL to each rush for over 1,000 yards in the same season. Julius is the fourth of seven children in his family.
