Julius Jones
Encyclopedia
Julius Andre Maurice Jones (born August 14, 1981) is an American football
running back
who played college football
at the University of Notre Dame
and is currently a member of the Free Agent Class of the National Football League. Before signing with the Saints on October 12, 2010, Julius had stints with the Dallas Cowboys
and Seattle Seahawks
. He is the younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs
running back Thomas Jones and in 2006 they became the first brothers to each rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. Jones' was raised in Big Stone Gap, Virginia
for a significant amount of time. He attended Powell Valley High School. Jones was originally drafted
by the Dallas Cowboys
in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft
.
at the University of Notre Dame
from 1999–2001 and 2003. In 2003 he set a single game school record for rushing yards in a game when he had 262 against Pittsburgh. In that season, Jones rushed for 200+ yards in 3 games, which is another school record. He also holds multiple career records for kick and punt returns.
, Chris Perry, Kevin Jones
, drafted Julius Jones out of the University of Notre Dame. Jones was selected in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft
, after the Cowboys traded their first round pick to the Buffalo Bills
(who used it to select J.P. Losman) for a future 2005 first round pick who the Cowboys would later use on defensive end Marcus Spears
. After the NFL's All-Time leading rusher Emmitt Smith
departed to Arizona, the Cowboys hoped Jones would be the fix for a disappointing running attack led by former starter Troy Hambrick
. However, already with a bruised rib, Jones fractured his scapula bone in a win versus the Cleveland Browns
early in week two and the team was forced to depend on veteran free agent acquisition Eddie George
during his absence.
Jones was later healthy enough to play midway through the season and despite in a losing effort, he gained 80 yards on a stingy Baltimore Ravens
defense led by Pro Bowl
linebacker
Ray Lewis. A week later, on a nationally televised Thanksgiving stage against his older brother Thomas and the Chicago Bears
, Julius won "player of the game" honors when he rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns. As a result, Jones was the second Dallas Cowboy chosen for FOX's annual "Galloping Gobbler" trophy awarded every Thanksgiving Day. This honor was formerly bestowed upon running back Emmitt Smith in 2002 and later awarded to quarterback Tony Romo
in 2006. As the season came to a close, Jones looked very impressive as he rushed for over 800 yards in the 8 remaining regular season games. The future looked promising and it appeared as if the team had found their successor to Emmitt Smith. Jones was one of the few bright spots in a dismal 6-10 season for the Dallas Cowboys.
in week 5, Julius rushed for 72 yards in the first half, but suffered a high ankle sprain that bothered him the entire season and was forced to sit out for 3 games. For the second straight year, Jones was considered to be injury prone and unable to carry the load of a franchise back. Rookie running back Marion Barber III
turned in several strong performances in Julius' absence creating a running back controversy. Against the Detroit Lions
Jones had rushed for 92 yards, but on 1st and goal from the 1 yard line, he was stopped 3 consecutive times. Later against the Carolina Panthers
, Jones once again demonstrated his play-making ability when rushed for two touchdowns and 194 yards. Former Cowboys quarterback and now Fox Network commentator Troy Aikman
, commented on Jones' speed burst and agility, something he had not seen since Julius' rookie season in 2004. The Cowboys finished the season with an uninspiring loss the next week to the St. Louis Rams
at Texas Stadium
. At a record of 9-7, Dallas missed the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive year and as if to signify the entire season, Jones came just 7 yards short of his first 1,000 yard season.
, Jones had the longest rush from scrimmage in his career with a 77-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the game. Jones also finally surpassed the 1,000 yard mark to become the first Cowboys back to do so since Emmitt Smith in 2001 and rushed for 112 yards in the Wildcard playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks
. With the departure of Bill Parcells and the trade of his brother Thomas Jones to the New York Jets
, rumors were rampant about the possible trade of Julius in the off-season as well. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
quickly dispelled any rumors stating "I don't see that happening" and was happy with the current rotation of Dallas running backs.
now in the fold, Julius had high hopes for the 2007 season
. Jones stated that perhaps he listened to former head coach Bill Parcells more than he should have, rather than relying on his own instincts. During off-season workouts, with the numerous trade talks and a strong public support for Barber to start, Julius chose to work out privately in Arizona away from the distractions in Dallas. Statistically, he had his lowest season as a professional with 164 carries for 588 yards and 2 touchdowns. Although Jones was the starting running back for the entire 16-game regular season, he had been visibly frustrated as the ratio of carries slowly started to tilt in Barber's favor. Despite openly defending Julius throughout the season, ultimately Wade Phillips decided to give Barber the start in the Divisional playoff loss to the New York Giants
.
. While competing for the starting job throughout training camp, Mike Holmgren decided to give the start to running back Maurice Morris against the Buffalo Bills in week one, but stated both backs will be used frequently. Morris was later sidelined with a knee injury and Jones ended the game with 13 carries for 45 yards. Against San Francisco in week 2, Jones received his first start of the regular season and responded with 127 yards rushing and a TD in an overtime loss to the 49ers. In week 3 against St. Louis, Julius became the first running back in Seattle to gain back-to-back 100 yard rushing games since 2005. Jones finished the day with 140 yards and a TD in a win against the Rams, just two yards shy of his former backup in Dallas, Marion Barber. Jones returned to Dallas in a Seattle Seahawks uniform on Thanksgiving Day and rushed for 37 yards on 11 carries in a loss to his former team. At the end of the 2008 regular season, Julius Jones had 698 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns averaging 4.4 yards a carry.
in order to remain on the 53 man roster.
On October 5, 2010 Julius Jones was cut by the Seahawks after they traded a fourth round pick for Marshawn Lynch
to the Buffalo Bills
.
.
On January 8, 2011, Jones ran for two touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks in a losing effort during the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs, the New Orleans Saints lost 41-36.[2] He became the first player to score a touchdown in a playoff game against the same team that cut him that season.
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...
running back
Running 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...
who played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
and is currently a member of the Free Agent Class of the National Football League. Before signing with the Saints on October 12, 2010, Julius had stints with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. He is the younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
running back Thomas Jones and in 2006 they became the first brothers to each rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. Jones' was raised in Big Stone Gap, Virginia
Big Stone Gap, Virginia
Big Stone Gap is a town in Wise County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,643 at the 2010 census.-History:The community was formerly known as "Meneral City" and "Three Forks." The "Big Stone Gap" refers to the valley which has been created on the Appalachia Straight, located between...
for a significant amount of time. He attended Powell Valley High School. Jones was originally drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
.
College career
Jones played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
from 1999–2001 and 2003. In 2003 he set a single game school record for rushing yards in a game when he had 262 against Pittsburgh. In that season, Jones rushed for 200+ yards in 3 games, which is another school record. He also holds multiple career records for kick and punt returns.
2004
The Dallas Cowboys, in need of a potential franchise running back and passing on highly touted prospects Steven JacksonSteven Jackson
Steven Rashad Jackson is an American football running back for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Rams 24th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State University....
, Chris Perry, Kevin Jones
Kevin Jones (American football)
Kevin S. Jones is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions 30th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...
, drafted Julius Jones out of the University of Notre Dame. Jones was selected in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
, after the Cowboys traded their first round pick to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(who used it to select J.P. Losman) for a future 2005 first round pick who the Cowboys would later use on defensive end Marcus Spears
Marcus Spears (defensive end)
For the offensive lineman, see Marcus Spears .Marcus Raishonie Spears is an American football defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League...
. After the NFL's All-Time leading rusher Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
departed to Arizona, the Cowboys hoped Jones would be the fix for a disappointing running attack led by former starter Troy Hambrick
Troy Hambrick
Troy Hambrick is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He played for the Arizona Cardinals in 2004, and played for the Dallas Cowboys from 2000 to 2003. In his career, he has amassed 2,179 yards rushing and 276 yards receiving in 61 games played...
. However, already with a bruised rib, Jones fractured his scapula bone in a win versus the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
early in week two and the team was forced to depend on veteran free agent acquisition Eddie George
Eddie George
Edward Nathan "Eddie" George, Jr. is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He played for the Tennessee Titans both in Tennessee and in Houston when the franchise was known as the Houston Oilers, and spent his final season with the Dallas Cowboys...
during his absence.
Jones was later healthy enough to play midway through the season and despite in a losing effort, he gained 80 yards on a stingy Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
defense led by Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Ray Lewis. A week later, on a nationally televised Thanksgiving stage against his older brother Thomas and the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Julius won "player of the game" honors when he rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns. As a result, Jones was the second Dallas Cowboy chosen for FOX's annual "Galloping Gobbler" trophy awarded every Thanksgiving Day. This honor was formerly bestowed upon running back Emmitt Smith in 2002 and later awarded to quarterback Tony Romo
Tony Romo
Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo is a professional American football quarterback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo's career passer rating - at 95.8 - ranks third-best all time. Tony Romo didn't play in the regular season in 2003, 2004, or 2005...
in 2006. As the season came to a close, Jones looked very impressive as he rushed for over 800 yards in the 8 remaining regular season games. The future looked promising and it appeared as if the team had found their successor to Emmitt Smith. Jones was one of the few bright spots in a dismal 6-10 season for the Dallas Cowboys.
2005
Jones made a bold and confident goal of reaching 1,700 yards and 20 touchdowns. Against the Philadelphia Eagles2005 Philadelphia Eagles season
-Schedule:-Week 1: at Atlanta Falcons:at the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Eagles' 2005 season-opener on Monday Night Football was more famous for what happened before the game, when Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was ejected for a scuffle near mid-field during pre-game warmups...
in week 5, Julius rushed for 72 yards in the first half, but suffered a high ankle sprain that bothered him the entire season and was forced to sit out for 3 games. For the second straight year, Jones was considered to be injury prone and unable to carry the load of a franchise back. Rookie running back Marion Barber III
Marion Barber III
Marion Sylvester Barber III is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota....
turned in several strong performances in Julius' absence creating a running back controversy. Against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
Jones had rushed for 92 yards, but on 1st and goal from the 1 yard line, he was stopped 3 consecutive times. Later against the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, Jones once again demonstrated his play-making ability when rushed for two touchdowns and 194 yards. Former Cowboys quarterback and now Fox Network commentator Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Kenneth Aikman is a former American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. The number one overall draft pick in 1989, Aikman played twelve consecutive seasons as quarterback with the Cowboys...
, commented on Jones' speed burst and agility, something he had not seen since Julius' rookie season in 2004. The Cowboys finished the season with an uninspiring loss the next week to the St. Louis Rams
2005 St. Louis Rams season
The 2005 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 68th year with the National Football League and the 11th season in St. Louis.-Schedule:-Standings:...
at Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
. At a record of 9-7, Dallas missed the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive year and as if to signify the entire season, Jones came just 7 yards short of his first 1,000 yard season.
2006
Jones' only goal this time was to stay healthy for a full season. After a strong start in which he gained 494 yards over the first five games, Jones saw his playing time decrease near the goal line and in the 4th quarter to Barber. Bill Parcells stated he wanted to keep both running backs fresh and used a "dual-back" system with Jones as the starter and Barber as the finisher. In week 14, versus the New Orleans Saints2006 New Orleans Saints season
The 2006 New Orleans Saints season began with the team trying to improve on their 3-13 record in 2005. All of the team's 2006 regular season home games were played in the Louisiana Superdome, which had been damaged all of the previous season by Hurricane Katrina...
, Jones had the longest rush from scrimmage in his career with a 77-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the game. Jones also finally surpassed the 1,000 yard mark to become the first Cowboys back to do so since Emmitt Smith in 2001 and rushed for 112 yards in the Wildcard playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks
2006 Seattle Seahawks season
The 2006 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's 31st season in the National Football League. The season began with the team attempting to improve on their 13-3 record from 2005, repeat as National Football Conference champions, and return to the Super Bowl...
. With the departure of Bill Parcells and the trade of his brother Thomas Jones to the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, rumors were rampant about the possible trade of Julius in the off-season as well. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
Jerry Jones
Jerral "Jerry" Wayne Jones is the owner and general manager of the NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys.-Early life:Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School...
quickly dispelled any rumors stating "I don't see that happening" and was happy with the current rotation of Dallas running backs.
2007
Entering the final year of his contract and with new coach Wade PhillipsWade Phillips
Wade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...
now in the fold, Julius had high hopes for the 2007 season
2007 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2007 Dallas Cowboys season was the 48th season for the team in the National Football League. The Cowboys finished the regular season tied for the best record in the NFC , and earned a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs...
. Jones stated that perhaps he listened to former head coach Bill Parcells more than he should have, rather than relying on his own instincts. During off-season workouts, with the numerous trade talks and a strong public support for Barber to start, Julius chose to work out privately in Arizona away from the distractions in Dallas. Statistically, he had his lowest season as a professional with 164 carries for 588 yards and 2 touchdowns. Although Jones was the starting running back for the entire 16-game regular season, he had been visibly frustrated as the ratio of carries slowly started to tilt in Barber's favor. Despite openly defending Julius throughout the season, ultimately Wade Phillips decided to give Barber the start in the Divisional playoff loss to the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
2008
On March 7, 2008, Jones agreed to a four-year deal with the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. While competing for the starting job throughout training camp, Mike Holmgren decided to give the start to running back Maurice Morris against the Buffalo Bills in week one, but stated both backs will be used frequently. Morris was later sidelined with a knee injury and Jones ended the game with 13 carries for 45 yards. Against San Francisco in week 2, Jones received his first start of the regular season and responded with 127 yards rushing and a TD in an overtime loss to the 49ers. In week 3 against St. Louis, Julius became the first running back in Seattle to gain back-to-back 100 yard rushing games since 2005. Jones finished the day with 140 yards and a TD in a win against the Rams, just two yards shy of his former backup in Dallas, Marion Barber. Jones returned to Dallas in a Seattle Seahawks uniform on Thanksgiving Day and rushed for 37 yards on 11 carries in a loss to his former team. At the end of the 2008 regular season, Julius Jones had 698 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns averaging 4.4 yards a carry.
2009
On September 14, 2009, which was also week 1 of the 2009 season, Jones rushed for 117 yards on 19 carries including a 62 yard Touchdown run in a 28-0 win over the St. Louis Rams. It was also his first Touchdown since week 3 of the 2008 season. Jones has picked up his first two receiving touchdowns of his professional career in back to back games against the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears. Jones ended the season with 663 yards on 177 attempts with a 3.7 yards per carry average he also had 2 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 35 passes for 232 yards a 6.6 average and 2 touchdowns.2010
On September 5, 2010, Julius Jones agreed to restructure his contract with the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in order to remain on the 53 man roster.
On October 5, 2010 Julius Jones was cut by the Seahawks after they traded a fourth round pick for Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. In his rookie year, Lynch became the Bills' first 1,000-yard rookie rusher since Greg Bell in 1984...
to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
2010
On October 12, 2010 Julius Jones signed with the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
.
On January 8, 2011, Jones ran for two touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks in a losing effort during the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs, the New Orleans Saints lost 41-36.[2] He became the first player to score a touchdown in a playoff game against the same team that cut him that season.