Kevin Jones (American football) facts for kids
Jones with the Chicago Bears in 2008
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| No. 34, 27, 25 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | August 21, 1982 Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 227 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Cardinal O'Hara (Springfield, Pennsylvania) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Virginia Tech | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 30 | ||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||
Kevin S. Jones (born August 21, 1982) is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Kevin played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies. He was recognized as one of the best college players in 2003. Jones was chosen early in the 2004 NFL draft. He played for six seasons (2004-2009) with the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.
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Early Life and High School Football
Kevin Jones was born in Chester, Pennsylvania. He was a very athletic kid from a young age. His father helped him train and stay in great shape. Kevin played many sports in high school (1997–2001). He even played on the main team as a freshman at Cardinal O'Hara High School. This school is in Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
High School Sports Star
Kevin was a fantastic track and field athlete. He was very fast in short races. He also excelled at jumping events. He could long jump 6.92 meters and triple jump 14.57 meters.
Kevin's football coach, George Stratts, started him as a freshman. Kevin quickly became a star player. He played all four years and broke many school records. In his senior year, he led his team to win the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship. He also became the Catholic League's all-time leading rusher. This means he gained more yards running with the ball than any other player in the league's history.
Jones was the first person to win the U.S. Army Player of the Year Award. This award is also called the "Hall Trophy." It is given to the best high school football player in the country. Other famous players like Adrian Peterson have also won this award.
Choosing a College Team
In 2000, Kevin Jones was the top high school football recruit in the entire nation. Many colleges wanted him to play for them. Kevin narrowed his choices down to Penn State and Virginia Tech.
To everyone's surprise, Kevin chose Virginia Tech. He made his decision the day after Virginia Tech's Head Coach, Frank Beamer, visited his home. Kevin's announcement was a big deal. It was even shown on national TV. He was the first player to use props like jerseys to announce his college choice. This made his announcement very memorable. Now, many young athletes use similar creative ways to share their college decisions.
College Football Career
Kevin Jones played for Virginia Tech from 2000 to 2003. His coach was Hall of Fame coach Frank Beamer. Kevin was the highest-rated player ever to commit to Virginia Tech's football program.
In his first year, Kevin became the starting player after another player got hurt. He set a new school record for rushing yards by a freshman. In 2002, Kevin and another player, Lee Suggs, shared playing time. Fans called them "The Untouchables" because they were so good together.
Kevin finished his college career with 3,475 rushing yards. He also scored 35 touchdowns. He averaged 5.6 yards every time he ran with the ball. He also caught 24 passes for 229 yards. His rushing yards and touchdowns are both the second-highest in Virginia Tech's history. In 2016, he was added to the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame.
College Statistics Highlights
- 2001: 957 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns.
- 2002: 871 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns.
- 2003: 1,647 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.
Professional Football Career
Kevin Jones was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2004. He had a great first year as a rookie. He was one of only three running backs in Lions history to run for over 1,000 yards in his first season. The other two were Billy Sims and Hall of Famer Barry Sanders. Kevin got a foot injury at the end of the 2006 season.
In 2007, Kevin started the season as a backup player. He became the main starter in Week 7. He ran for 105 yards and scored one touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, he got another injury that ended his season early. The Lions released him in March 2008.
Playing for the Chicago Bears
On July 15, 2008, Kevin Jones signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears. He signed a new two-year contract with the Bears in March 2009. He was supposed to be the main backup for Matt Forte.
On September 3, 2009, Kevin got hurt during a preseason game. He tore ligaments in his left ankle. This injury meant he could not play for the entire 2009 season. The Bears released him in March 2010.
Time with the Hartford Colonials
On September 27, 2010, Kevin Jones signed with the Hartford Colonials. This team was part of the UFL. He played in only two games for the Colonials. He ran for 41 yards before he was placed on injured reserve in October 2010.
NFL Career Statistics Overview
Kevin Jones played in 64 NFL games during his career. He had 795 rushing attempts, gaining a total of 3,176 yards. He scored 24 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 143 passes for 1,011 receiving yards and 3 receiving touchdowns. His longest run was 74 yards.
Life After Football
Kevin Jones stopped playing football in 2011. He went back to Virginia Tech as a student. He studied industrial design in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. He earned his bachelor's degree in 2014.
While working at a furniture design company in Switzerland, Kevin also joined a yacht racing team. He was the only American on the 22-person crew. He worked as a "grinder" on the 68-foot racing yacht called Caol ila R. By the summer of 2014, he had raced five times with the team.
In 2014, Virginia Tech hired Kevin as a "Special Assistant to the Athletic Director." He left this job on June 12, 2016. In 2015, Kevin co-founded a design company called Void Design Haus in Blacksburg, Virginia. He started it with Alex Barrette. They changed the company name to JoBa in 2016. This name combines parts of their last names.
On June 3, 2019, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that Kevin Jones would be a Bill Walsh Coaching Fellow. This meant he would work as a running backs coach for their 2019 Mini-Camp.
