Maurice Jones-Drew facts for kids
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Jones-Drew in 2010
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| No. 32, 21 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | March 23, 1985 Oakland, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | De La Salle (Concord, California) | ||||||||||||
| College: | UCLA (2003–2005) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2006 / Round: 2 / Pick: 60 | ||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||
Maurice Christopher Jones-Drew (born March 23, 1985), often called "MJD", is a former professional football running back. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He was known for his powerful running style despite his smaller size.
Jones-Drew played college football for the UCLA Bruins. He was recognized as a unanimous All-American in 2005. The Jacksonville Jaguars picked him in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. He was chosen 60th overall.
He was selected for the Pro Bowl three times. In 2011, he led the NFL in rushing yards. He spent his first eight seasons with the Jaguars. In his final season in 2014, he played for the Oakland Raiders. After retiring, Jones-Drew became a football analyst for NFL Network and CBS Sports. He is currently a color analyst for the Los Angeles Rams.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Maurice Jones-Drew was born in Oakland, California. He grew up in Antioch. He went to De La Salle High School in Concord.
De La Salle High School is famous for its football team. They hold the longest winning streak in high school football history, with 151 straight wins. Jones-Drew played on the team for three years. They never lost a single game during his time there. He was a great running back and return specialist. He also played as a tough linebacker on defense.
In 2001, when he was a junior, he became well-known. He scored all four of De La Salle's touchdowns in a big game. This game was against Long Beach Poly and was shown on national TV. It was the first time the top two high school teams in the country played each other. Jones-Drew made amazing plays, including a forward somersault into the end zone.
During his junior year, Jones-Drew rushed for almost 2,000 yards. He averaged nearly 12 yards per carry and scored 26 touchdowns. Experts rated him as a top recruit. He was even featured on the cover of the book When the Game Stands Tall. This book tells the story of De La Salle's incredible winning streak.
Jones-Drew also ran track in high school. He was part of the team that won the state championship in the 4 x 100 metres relay in 2002. At age 16, he ran the 100 meters in 10.80 seconds. He later joined the track team at UCLA as well.
College Football Career
Jones-Drew received a scholarship to play football at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He played for the Bruins from 2003 to 2005. Even though he was not the biggest player, he led the Bruins in rushing for all three years. He was also great at catching passes and returning punts and kickoffs. He was the fifth player in UCLA history to lead the team in rushing for three seasons.
In 2005, Jones-Drew set an amazing NCAA record. He averaged 28.5 yards per punt return. This broke the old record set in 1951. His career average of 23.2 yards per punt return is second in NCAA history. He also set several UCLA records. This included the career all-purpose yardage record with 4,688 yards.
As a sophomore, he had an incredible game against Washington. He set UCLA's record for most rushing yards in a single game (322 yards). He also scored a school-record five touchdowns in that game. In the first quarter alone, he rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns. His 322 rushing yards were the third most in Pac-10 Conference history. This performance earned him several National Player of the Week awards.
In his junior year, he was named a first-team All-Pac-10 player as a punt returner. He was also recognized as a unanimous All-American as an all-purpose back. He was the first Bruin since Jackie Robinson to lead the country in punt returning. As a freshman, he showed his talent early. He rushed for 176 yards against Arizona State, including an 83-yard touchdown run. This run was the longest by a UCLA true freshman. Throughout his college career, Jones-Drew had 16 touchdowns that were 40 yards or longer.
College Statistics
| UCLA Bruins | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | G | Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | Kick Return | Punt Return | |||||||||||||||
| Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| 2003 | 13 | 135 | 582 | 4.3 | 5 | 15 | 104 | 6.9 | 0 | 150 | 686 | 4.6 | 5 | 20 | 533 | 26.7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 11 | 160 | 1007 | 6.3 | 8 | 18 | 262 | 14.6 | 3 | 178 | 1269 | 7.1 | 11 | 7 | 185 | 26.4 | 0 | 10 | 152 | 15.2 | 1 |
| 2005 | 12 | 186 | 914 | 4.9 | 13 | 31 | 453 | 14.6 | 4 | 217 | 1367 | 6.3 | 17 | 5 | 69 | 13.8 | 0 | 15 | 427 | 28.5 | 3 |
| Total | 36 | 481 | 2503 | 5.2 | 26 | 64 | 819 | 12.8 | 7 | 545 | 3322 | 6.1 | 33 | 32 | 787 | 24.6 | 2 | 25 | 579 | 23.2 | 4 |
| Source: sports-reference.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
Professional Career Highlights
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 6+3⁄4 in (1.70 m) |
207 lb (94 kg) |
28+1⁄8 in (0.71 m) |
8+1⁄4 in (0.21 m) |
4.39 s | 1.53 s | 2.57 s | 4.38 s | 7.08 s | 36 in (0.91 m) |
9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) |
18 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
Jacksonville Jaguars Years
2006 Rookie Season
Jones-Drew started his NFL career mainly returning kickoffs. He soon became the Jaguars' main third-down running back. In a game against the Colts, he set a team record. He had 166 rushing yards and 303 all-purpose yards. This included a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. He also scored a rushing touchdown in eight straight games, a new Jaguars record.
He finished third in the NFL in kickoff returns and touchdowns scored. He was one of only two players to score a touchdown rushing, receiving, and returning kicks. His rushing average of 5.7 yards per carry was the best in the NFL for running backs with over 100 attempts. He had the third-most all-purpose yards of any rookie in history. Many thought he should have been Rookie of the Year.
2007 and 2008 Seasons
In his second NFL season, Jones-Drew proved to be a very versatile player. He had his first 100-yard rushing game of the season against the Houston Texans. He rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns. In the 2007 postseason, he had 198 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns against Pittsburgh. He was named co-MVP of that game.
In the 2008 season, Jones-Drew continued to be a key player. He had a great game against the Detroit Lions. He scored three touchdowns, all in the first half. He finished the season with 824 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. He also had 525 receiving yards on 62 catches.
2009: Becoming the Starter
After Fred Taylor left, Jones-Drew became the main running back. He had a record-breaking season in 2009. In one game, he rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries. One touchdown was 80 yards, and another was 79 yards. This tied a record set by Hall of Famer Barry Sanders.
He finished the season with 1,391 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. He also had 53 catches for 374 yards and a touchdown. Many people called him the most versatile offensive player in the NFL. He was selected for the Pro Bowl as a backup.
2010 and 2011 Seasons
Jones-Drew played the entire 2010 season with a torn meniscus in his left knee. He kept the injury a secret so opponents wouldn't target it. He was named Running Back of the Year by the NFL Alumni Association after the season.
In 2011, Jones-Drew had an amazing season. In a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he scored 24 points. This was the most by any player in a single game that season. He led the NFL in rushing yards during the 2011 season. He broke Jaguars franchise records for rushing yards in a season (1,606) and total yards from scrimmage (1,980). He accounted for almost half of the Jaguars' total yards that year. He was named to the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl. He was also ranked 12th on the NFL Network's list of top 100 players.
Final Jaguars Season (2013)
In 2012, Jones-Drew missed some team activities hoping for a new contract. He later returned but was placed on injured reserve. In 2013, his final season with the Jaguars, he finished with 803 rushing yards and five touchdowns. After eight seasons, he became a free agent in 2014.
Oakland Raiders
On March 28, 2014, Jones-Drew signed a three-year deal with the Oakland Raiders. His season in Oakland was not as successful. He rushed for only 96 yards and had no touchdowns. His playing time was limited because other running backs on the team played well.
Retirement from Football
On March 5, 2015, Maurice Jones-Drew announced his retirement from the NFL. He was 29 years old. He finished his career as the Jaguars' second all-time leading rusher, behind Fred Taylor. On April 28, 2015, he signed a special one-day contract. This allowed him to officially retire as a Jacksonville Jaguar.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2006 | JAX | 16 | 1 | 166 | 941 | 5.7 | 74 | 13 | 46 | 436 | 9.5 | 51 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2007 | JAX | 15 | 0 | 167 | 768 | 4.6 | 57 | 9 | 40 | 407 | 10.2 | 43 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2008 | JAX | 16 | 3 | 197 | 824 | 4.2 | 46 | 12 | 62 | 565 | 9.1 | 26 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| 2009 | JAX | 16 | 16 | 312 | 1,391 | 4.5 | 80 | 15 | 53 | 374 | 7.1 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2010 | JAX | 14 | 14 | 299 | 1,324 | 4.4 | 37 | 5 | 34 | 317 | 9.3 | 75 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2011 | JAX | 16 | 16 | 343 | 1,606 | 4.7 | 56 | 8 | 43 | 374 | 8.7 | 48 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 2012 | JAX | 6 | 5 | 86 | 414 | 4.8 | 59 | 1 | 14 | 86 | 6.1 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | JAX | 15 | 15 | 234 | 803 | 3.4 | 48 | 5 | 43 | 314 | 7.3 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | OAK | 12 | 1 | 43 | 96 | 2.2 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 71 | 6.5 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 126 | 71 | 1,847 | 8,167 | 4.4 | 80 | 68 | 346 | 2,944 | 8.5 | 75 | 11 | 23 | 10 | |
Jaguars Franchise Records
Maurice Jones-Drew holds several records for the Jacksonville Jaguars:
- Most career touchdowns (81)
- Most career rushing touchdowns (68)
- Most rushing touchdowns in a single season (15 in 2009)
- Most rushing yards in a single season (1,606 in 2011)
- Longest rushing attempt: 80 yards (tied with Fred Taylor)
- Most career kickoff return touchdowns (2)
- Most career kickoff return yards (2,054)
- Longest kickoff return: 100 yards
Life Outside of Football
After retiring from playing, Jones-Drew started a new career in broadcasting. He hosts a radio show on Sirius XM called Runnin' With MJD. This show focuses on fantasy football.
In 2011, he appeared as himself in an episode of the TV comedy The League. He was on the show with other NFL players.
At age 28, Jones-Drew went back to UCLA in 2013. He lived in a dorm and worked to finish his bachelor's degree. Since 2020, he has been a football analyst for Channel 5's Monday Night Football coverage in the UK. In 2023, he was part of the ITV commentary team for Super Bowl LVII.
Personal Life
Maurice Jones-Drew was raised by his maternal grandparents, Maurice and Christina Jones. In 2005, during his college career, his grandfather had a heart attack. This happened while his grandfather was going to see him play at the Rose Bowl. To honor the man who raised him, he added his grandparents' surname, Jones, to his own. This made his full legal name "Maurice Jones-Drew."
Jones-Drew is married to Ashley Jones-Drew. They have three children: two sons named Maurice II and Madden, and a daughter named Alayah. He is also a cousin of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety T. J. Ward. Since retiring from the NFL, Jones-Drew has become a vegan.
