Walter Jones (American football) facts for kids
Jones in 2008
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| No. 71 | |||||||
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| Position: | Offensive tackle | ||||||
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| Born: | January 19, 1974 Aliceville, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 325 lb (147 kg) | ||||||
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| High school: | Aliceville | ||||||
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| NFL Draft: | 1997 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6 | ||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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Walter Junior Jones is a famous former football player. He was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Walter Jones was born on January 19, 1974, in Alabama. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles.
Jones played his entire professional career with the Seattle Seahawks. He was chosen as an All-Pro player seven times. He was also named to the National Football League 2000s All-Decade Team. This means he was one of the best players of the 2000s.
Walter Jones started every one of his 180 games for the Seahawks. During his time, the Seahawks tried over 5,500 passes. Jones only allowed 23 quarterback sacks and was penalized for holding just nine times. On February 1, 2014, Jones was chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This was his first chance to be selected.
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College Football Journey
Walter Jones started his college football career at Holmes Community College. He played there for two seasons. In 1994, he was named Mississippi Junior College Player of the Year. He was 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 265 pounds. Jones played both offensive tackle and tight end. He only allowed one sack in his two years there.
After Holmes, Jones moved to Florida State University. He played for the Seminoles in 1995 and 1996. He had to sit out the 1995 season to meet transfer rules. In 1996, Jones started 11 games and the Sugar Bowl. He allowed only one sack that season. He was named second-team All-ACC. After this great season, he decided to join the NFL draft early.
Professional NFL Career
Jones was picked by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the 1997 NFL draft. He was the sixth player chosen overall. From his very first season, he started every game he played. Jones was a key player for the 2005 Seahawks team. They made it to Super Bowl XL but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2006, The Sporting News ranked Jones as the best NFL player among 101 top athletes.
Walter Jones's Achievements
Walter Jones was selected for the Pro Bowl nine times. He was also named All-Pro seven times. Many people thought Jones was the best player at his position in the NFL during the early 2000s. This is why he was chosen for the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team.
He helped other players succeed too. From 1998 to 2000, he helped Ricky Watters have three seasons where he ran for over 1,000 yards. Later, he helped Shaun Alexander set NFL records.
Praise from Coaches and Experts
Famous football commentator John Madden called Walter Jones the best player in the NFL in 2004. Madden often said Jones was the best left tackle in the NFL. He even suggested Jones might be one of the best of all time.
Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren also praised Jones. He said Jones was the best offensive player he had ever coached. This shows how important Jones was to his team.
Retirement and Legacy
On Thanksgiving in 2008, Walter Jones played his 180th and final game against the Cowboys. He suffered a knee injury that ended his season. He tried to play again in 2009 but couldn't. On October 28, 2009, the Seahawks placed him on injured reserve. Jones announced his retirement on April 29, 2010, on his Twitter account.
The Seahawks decided to retire his jersey number, 71. This means no other player on the Seahawks will wear that number. Only one other player's number, #80 Steve Largent, had been retired before. The Seahawks also retired #12 to honor their amazing fans. The governor of Washington state even declared April 30 to be "Walter Jones Day."
On December 5, 2010, the Seahawks honored Jones by officially retiring his #71 jersey. On January 8, 2011, Jones helped celebrate the team by lifting the 12th Man flag. This was before the Seahawks' playoff game against the New Orleans Saints. The Seahawks, who had a 7–9 record, went on to beat the defending Super Bowl champion Saints 41–36 in a famous game known as the Beast Quake.
On February 2, 2014, Jones was the Seahawks' honorary captain at Super Bowl XLVIII. This was before their big 43–8 victory over the Broncos. This event happened at the same time he was chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also helped Michael Strahan toss the coin before the game.
See also
In Spanish: Walter Jones (fútbol americano) para niños
