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| Positions | Guard Defensive tackle | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | (1931-11-24)November 24, 1931 Altoona, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Died | May 21, 2010(2010-05-21) (aged 78) Broomfield, Colorado, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 252 lb (114 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | Lemoyne (Lemoyne, Pennsylvania) | ||||||||||
| College | Maryland (1951–1953) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1953: 5th round, 55th overall pick | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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Stanley Paul Jones (November 24, 1931 – May 21, 2010) was an American professionalfootballguard anddefensive tackle who played in theNational Football League (NFL) for theChicago Bears and theWashington Redskins. He was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1991. Jones is credited as the first professional player to useweight training to improve his conditioning for football.
Jones was born inAltoona, Pennsylvania, but grew up in theHarrisburg area after his father, a telephone company employee, was transferred to that area.[1] He then playedfootball at Lemoyne High School inLemoyne, Pennsylvania.[1] He attended the University of Maryland, where he was a member of theSigma Nu fraternity.
Jones attended theUniversity of Maryland, where he playedcollege football as atackle. He was a unanimousAll-American selection in 1953.[2] Jones was on some of the most successful Maryland teams. The Terps were co-champions withVirginia Military Institute in 1951 in theSouthern Conference. In 1953, they played in theAtlantic Coast Conference and were co-champions withDuke University.[2] That year, they were also named the national champions. Jones was awarded theKnute Rockne Memorial Trophy as the nation's outstanding lineman[1] and the school awarded him the Anthony Nardo Award as the team's best lineman.[2] He then played in theCollege All-Star Game against theDetroit Lions.[1]
"He was a leader, somebody you look up to.
I'll tell you one thing, he could lift the side
of a house. He was one strong son of a gun."
Jones wasdrafted in the fifth round of the1953 NFL draft by theChicago Bears and started in1954 as anoffensive tackle.[3] In1955, Jones switched toguard and, for the next eight seasons, was a fixture at that position and one of the NFL's most highly respected guards.[3]
When the Bears needed help on defense in1962, assistant coachGeorge Allen decided that Jones could help atdefensive tackle.[3] He played both ways in 1962 and then switched to defensive tackle permanently in1963.[3]
After1965, Bears coachGeorge Halas agreed, as a favor to Jones, to trade him to theWashington Redskins so that he could play a final season near his home inRockville, Maryland.[3] He retired after the1966 season.
Jones missed only two games his first 11 seasons, was anAll-Pro guard in 1955, 1956, 1959, and 1960, and played in seven straightPro Bowls following the 1955 through 1961 seasons. He has also been credited as the first professional player to use weight training for football conditioning.[3]
After playing football, Jones became an assistant coach for theDenver Broncos,Buffalo Bills,Cleveland Browns, and theNew England Patriots.[1] He later went back to work, this time as a defensive line coach for theScottish Claymores ofNFL Europe.[4]
During the mid-1950s Jones also worked in the off-season teaching physical education in theMontgomery County elementary schools.
Jones is a member of thePro Football Hall of Fame andCollege Football Hall of Fame. In 1977, he made theAtlantic Coast Conference 25-year team. Jones died on May 21, 2010, from complications of astroke.[5][6] He had a heart attack which triggered his death.[1][2] Jones was also named to thePennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.[2]
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