Malachi Jones (gridiron football) facts for kids

Malachi Fitzgerald Jones (born March 22, 1994) is an American former professional football player. He was a wide receiver, which means he was responsible for catching passes from the quarterback. Malachi played college football at Appalachian State University.

Malachi's Early Life and High School Days

Malachi Jones grew up in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He went to Central Gwinnett High School. During his senior year in 2011, he was a star player. He caught 82 passes for 1,059 yards and scored 14 touchdowns.

He even set new school and county records for catches in a single game (15) and receiving yards in a game (276). Malachi was recognized as one of the best players in his area. After high school, he decided to play college football at Appalachian State University. He chose Appalachian State over other schools that offered him scholarships.

Playing College Football

Malachi played for the Appalachian State Mountaineers for four seasons. He appeared in every game during his college career, playing in 49 games in total. He started 35 of those games as a wide receiver.

During his time at Appalachian State, he caught 124 passes. He gained 1,711 yards and scored eight touchdowns. In 2012, he was named to the Southern Conference’s All-Freshman team. This means he was one of the best first-year players in his league.

Malachi's College Stats

Here are Malachi's college football statistics:

Malachi Jones' Professional Football Journey

After college, Malachi hoped to play in the National Football League (NFL). He was considered one of the top wide receivers in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Starting in the NFL and Arena Leagues

Malachi's professional career began with a tryout in the NFL. He then played in several different football leagues. These included the National Arena League (NAL) and the Arena Football League (AFL).

Playing for the Atlanta Falcons

After the 2016 NFL Draft, Malachi signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons. This is a team in the NFL, the biggest football league in the United States. However, he was released from the team after a short mini-camp for new players.

Time with the High Country Grizzlies

Next, Malachi joined the High Country Grizzlies in the National Arena League (NAL). This is a professional indoor football league. In 2017, he played 10 games and caught 66 passes. He gained 685 yards and scored 16 touchdowns. He was named the NAL Offensive Rookie of the Year for his great performance.

Joining the Atlanta Havoc

In 2018, Malachi signed with the Atlanta Havoc. This team was part of a new league called the American Arena League. He only played one game with them before moving to another league.

Success with the Albany Empire

Malachi then joined the Albany Empire in the Arena Football League (AFL). This was another indoor football league. He had an amazing year in 2018. In 12 games, he caught 77 passes for 1,156 yards and scored 29 touchdowns. He also scored 5 rushing touchdowns.

He scored at least one touchdown in every game he played. He also had four games where he gained over 100 receiving yards. Malachi won two big awards that year: the AFL Rookie of the Year and the Wide Receiver of the Year. He was the only rookie in the league's history to win both awards in the same season. He also earned First-team All-Arena honors.

Moving to Other Leagues

Malachi continued to play for various teams and leagues, showing his skills.

A Short Stint with the Chicago Bears

On July 26, 2018, Malachi signed with the Chicago Bears, another NFL team. However, he was released from the team on September 1, 2018.

Playing in the AAF with Atlanta Legends

In October 2018, Malachi joined the Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of American Football (AAF). This was a new outdoor football league. In 8 games during the 2019 season, he caught 22 passes for 312 yards. He also scored 2 touchdowns. He was ranked among the top receivers in the AAF for yards and touchdowns.

Back to the Albany Empire

After the AAF stopped playing, Malachi returned to the Albany Empire in the AFL in April 2019. He continued his amazing performance. He had 9 games with over 100 receiving yards. He also kept his streak of scoring at least one touchdown in every regular season game.

He finished the 2019 season with 1,440 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns. He was the only AFL receiver to gain over 1,000 yards that year. Malachi and the Empire went on to win ArenaBowl XXXII, which is the championship game of the AFL.

Joining the Montreal Alouettes

In October 2019, Malachi was chosen in the XFL Draft. However, he decided not to sign with the XFL. Instead, he signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League (CFL). This is a professional football league in Canada. He was placed on the retired list in June 2021 after getting a job offer from a company called Lululemon.

Another Return to the Albany Empire

Malachi signed with the relaunched Albany Empire in the National Arena League (NAL) on June 17, 2021.

With the Carolina Cobras

On July 14, 2022, Malachi signed with the Carolina Cobras, also in the National Arena League (NAL).

Malachi Jones' Career Numbers

Here are Malachi's statistics from his professional football career in different leagues.

National Arena League Stats

Arena Football League Stats

AFL Playoff Stats

Alliance of American Football Stats

Malachi's Family and Sports Background

Malachi comes from a family of talented athletes! His father, Andre Jones, was a defensive end for the 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. He was even drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL. He also played for the Detroit Lions and in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Malachi's older brother, T. J. Jones, also played football for Notre Dame. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 2014 NFL Draft. His younger brother, Jahmai Jones, chose a different sport. He was drafted by the Angels in the 2015 MLB Draft and played for the Los Angeles Angels in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Malachi's godfather is Raghib "Rocket" Ismail. He was a famous football player at Notre Dame. He also played for nine seasons in the NFL.