Amos Jones
Encyclopedia
Amos Jones is an assistant special teams coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
at the University of Alabama
, under Paul "Bear" Bryant
. He graduated from Alabama in 1982 and later earned a master's degree from the same institution.
. He was hired on January 29, 2007. He works under special teams coach Bob Ligashesky
and head coach Mike Tomlin
. He had previously worked with Tomlin as well as Steelers offensive line coach Larry Zierlein
in the late 90's at the University of Cincinnati
. Other connections with the current Steelers staff include serving under current offensive coordinator Bruce Arians
when he was head coach at Temple
in the 80's and playing and coaching at Alabama
during the late 70's and early 80's when Steelers assistant head coach John Mitchell served at the Tide's defensive line coach.
Prior to joining the Steelers, Jones had coached football
for 26 years — four seasons at the high school level; 21 seasons at the college level at Alabama
, Temple
, Pitt
, Tulane
, Cincinnati
, James Madison
, and Mississippi State
; and a single year with the Canadian Football League
's BC Lions
.
. He is a 1978 graduate of Pickens Academy, a private school in Carrollton, Alabama
. He was baptized in the Southern Baptist
faith on the same day as his father.
Jones and his wife Stacey (formerly Stacey Merkle) have four children. Their oldest daughter attends the University of Alabama. The family makes their off-season home on a farm in Pickens County, Alabama
located between Aliceville
and Carrollton
.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
College Playing Career
Jones played safety and running backRunning back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, under Paul "Bear" Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
. He graduated from Alabama in 1982 and later earned a master's degree from the same institution.
Coaching career
Amos Jones began his NFL coaching career as an assistant special teams coach for the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. He was hired on January 29, 2007. He works under special teams coach Bob Ligashesky
Bob Ligashesky
Bob Ligashesky is an American football coach. He is currently the special teams assistant for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League.-Coaching career:...
and head coach Mike Tomlin
Mike Tomlin
Michael Tomlin is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Tomlin is the third youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports. He is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history, and first in Steelers history...
. He had previously worked with Tomlin as well as Steelers offensive line coach Larry Zierlein
Larry Zierlein
Larry Zierlein is a long-time American football coach at the high school, college and professional levels.-Biography:...
in the late 90's at the University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
. Other connections with the current Steelers staff include serving under current offensive coordinator Bruce Arians
Bruce Arians
Bruce Arians is the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Prior to holding this position, Arians served as the wide receivers coach for the Steelers, a position that he held with the team since the 2004 season...
when he was head coach at Temple
Temple Owls football
The Temple Owls football team participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference...
in the 80's and playing and coaching at Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
during the late 70's and early 80's when Steelers assistant head coach John Mitchell served at the Tide's defensive line coach.
Prior to joining the Steelers, Jones had coached football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
for 26 years — four seasons at the high school level; 21 seasons at the college level at Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
, Temple
Temple Owls football
The Temple Owls football team participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference...
, Pitt
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
, Tulane
Tulane Green Wave football
The Tulane Green Wave football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents Tulane University in New Orleans. The team is a member of Conference USA and is led by interim head coach Mark Hutson, who took over on October 18, 2011, when fifth-year head coach Bob Toledo resigned...
, Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
, James Madison
James Madison Dukes football
The James Madison Dukes football team, founded in 1972, plays at Bridgeforth Stadium. Originally called JMU Stadium, it was renamed for William E. Bridgeforth in 1990. The JMU football team was rarely the centerpiece of JMU sports until the hiring of Mickey Matthews in 1999...
, and Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
; and a single year with the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
's BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
.
Personal life
Jones grew up in Aliceville, AlabamaAliceville, Alabama
Aliceville is a city in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,567. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 2,465. -Geography:...
. He is a 1978 graduate of Pickens Academy, a private school in Carrollton, Alabama
Carrollton, Alabama
Carrollton is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 987. The city is the county seat of Pickens County....
. He was baptized in the Southern Baptist
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
faith on the same day as his father.
Jones and his wife Stacey (formerly Stacey Merkle) have four children. Their oldest daughter attends the University of Alabama. The family makes their off-season home on a farm in Pickens County, Alabama
Pickens County, Alabama
Pickens County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of 2010, the population was 19,746. Its county seat is Carrollton, and it is a prohibition, or dry county.-History:...
located between Aliceville
Aliceville, Alabama
Aliceville is a city in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,567. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 2,465. -Geography:...
and Carrollton
Carrollton, Alabama
Carrollton is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 987. The city is the county seat of Pickens County....
.