 Jones with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2013 | |||||||||||||
| No. 95, 93 | |||||||||||||
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| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | (1989-10-13)October 13, 1989 (age 36) Lumpkin, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 248 lb (112 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | G.W. Carver (Columbus, Georgia) | ||||||||||||
| College | |||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2013: 1st round, 17th overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Jarvis Jerrell Jones (born October 13, 1989) is an American former professionalfootball player who was alinebacker in theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theGeorgia Bulldogs and was recognized as a consensusAll-American twice. He was selected by thePittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the2013 NFL draft, playing for them for four seasons before retiring following a short stint with theArizona Cardinals in 2017. Since 2025, Johnson has served as the head football coach ofGeorge Washington Carver High School inColumbus, Georgia.
Jones was born inColumbus, Georgia, and grew up in Lumpkin and Richland, Georgia. He attendedCarver High School in Columbus, where he led hishigh school football team to a state title in 2007, and was rated as a four-star recruit byRivals.com.[1] In addition to playing football, he was an all-statebasketball player.[2] He was ranked the 59th best high school prospect byESPN.[3] He played in the 2009U.S. Army All-American Bowl.[4][5]
Jones attendedUniversity of Southern California (USC) for his freshman year in 2009, during which he saw action as a special teams and backup player for theUSC Trojans Football team. In the first eight games, he recorded 13 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. During the game againstOregon, Jones suffered a neck injury. He was later diagnosed with spinal stenosis and the USC medical staff would not clear him to play for the team again.[6]
After the USC medical staff would not allow Jones to practice in the spring of 2010, Jones asked for and was granted a release to transfer. His high school coach contacted Georgia, Auburn, and Florida State to discuss the possibility with the teams' coaches. After meeting withGeorgia Bulldogs defensive coordinatorTodd Grantham, Jones underwent medical testing by the Georgia staff and was cleared to play football for theUniversity of Georgia.[7] He would have to redshirt during the 2010 season in compliance with NCAA transfer rules.
Jones started every game in the2011 season, recording a career-high 4 sacks againstFlorida on October 29.[2] He posted 70 total tackles including 19.5 for a loss, 13.5 sacks (which led the SEC),[8] 2 forced fumbles and 26 quarterback hurries.[9] He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, having been named to the first-teams of ESPN, theAmerican Football Coaches Association, theFootball Writers Association of America, and theWalter Camp Football Foundation.[10]
On January 13, 2012, head coachMark Richt announced that Jones would return for his senior year.[11] In 12 games, Jones recorded 85 tackles (52 solo), 24.5 tackles-for-loss (best in NCAA), 14.5 sacks, one interception, seven forced fumbles and two fumbles recovered.[12] He missed the games againstKentucky andFlorida Atlantic,[13][14] but played an integral role in wins overMissouri andFlorida.[15][16] Jones was named an AFCA First-team All-American and the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press and voted The 2012 Premier Player of College Football by sports fans.[17] On January 4, 2013, Jones declared for theNFL draft.[18]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft2+3⁄8 in (1.89 m) | 245 lb (111 kg) | 33 in (0.84 m) | 9+1⁄8 in (0.23 m) | 4.88 s | 1.66 s | 2.79 s | 4.71 s | 7.46 s | 30+1⁄2 in (0.77 m) | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) | 20 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Combine and the Georgia Bulldog'spro day.[19][20] | ||||||||||||
ThePittsburgh Steelers selected Jones in the first round (17th overall) in the2013 NFL draft.[21][22]Sports Illustrated analystAndy Benoit praised the pick in The Fifth Down blog.[23] He signed a four-year deal worth $8.705 million with a $4.7 million signing bonus.[24]
He began competing for a position at right outside linebacker with starterJason Worilds andTerence Garvin. At the beginning of the season he was used as a back-up and rotated with Worilds. On September 8, 2013, he played in his first career game and recorded 2 solo tackles against theTennessee Titans. The following week on September 16, he received his first start in place of Worilds and racked up a total of 8 tackles. The next four games he started in place of Worilds until Week 7.[25] On October 29, 2013, head coachMike Tomlin announced that Jones would be benched following the team's Week 8 loss against theOakland Raiders.[26]
On November 10, 2013, he got his first career sack in a 23–10 victory over theBuffalo Bills.[27] Jones came in to replace starting left outside linebackerLaMarr Woodley for the next three games, after he went down with an injury in Week 10. When the Steelers played the Browns during the last game of the 2013 season, he had a season-high 9 total tackles, 8 solo tackles, and a pass deflection. He finished his rookie season with 40 total tackles, 30 solo tackles, a sack, and 4 pass deflections in 14 games and 8 starts.[28]
Jones began the 2014 season as the Steelers' starting right outside linebacker after the departure of LaMarr Woodley. On September 7, 2014, during the season opener against theCleveland Browns, he had 6 tackles and registered his first sack of the year, matching his sack total from the year before (1). Over the first 3 games he had 14 tackles and 2 sacks.
On September 21, 2014, on Sunday Night Football against theCarolina Panthers, Jones suffered a cluttered wrist after forcingCam Newton to fumble and left the game after recording his first career forced fumble and 2 tackles.[29] Jones underwent wrist surgery the very next day and was placed on the injured/designated for return list.[30] To replace Jones, the Steelers signedJames Harrison on September 23.[31]
In his first game back from his injury he had 3 tackles and a solo tackle in a Week 14 win over theCincinnati Bengals. On January 3, 2015, after the Steelers finished atop theAFC North with an 11–5 record, Jones played in his first career postseason game as the Steelers' lost to theBaltimore Ravens, 17–30. He finished his second season with 18 total tackles, a career-high 2 sacks, and a forced fumble.[28]
Jones played in 15 games, all starts, for the team during the 2015 season, totaling fifteen solo tackles, fourteen tackle assists, two sacks, three pass breakups, one interception, and one forced fumble.[32]
On May 2, 2016, the Steelers declined the fifth-year option on Jones, making him a free agent after the 2016 season.[33] He played in 14 games, had 42 combined tackles, 29 solo tackles, 13 tackle assists, 1 sack, 3 pass breakups, 1 interception, and 2 forced fumbles.[28]
In week 10, after the Steelers 35-30 loss to the Cowboys, he was replaced by James Harrison in the starting lineup for Week 11 against the Cleveland Browns.[34]
Jones recorded 6 sacks throughout his career with the Steelers. However, he struggled to develop into an effective pass rusher and live up to expectations as a first-round draft pick. He has been labeled as a "bust" by fans and other media outlets following his performance with the team.[35] The selection of Jones has been labeled as the Steelers worst draft pick byPro Football Focus dating back to 2006.[36]
On March 14, 2017, Jones signed with theArizona Cardinals.[37][38] On September 2, 2017, the Cardinals released Jones with an injury settlement.[39]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2013 | PIT | 14 | 8 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 1.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | PIT | 7 | 3 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | PIT | 15 | 15 | 29 | 15 | 14 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | PIT | 14 | 9 | 42 | 29 | 13 | 1.0 | 4 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | 35 | 130 | 84 | 46 | 6.0 | 11 | 2 | 25 | 0 | 20 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2014 | PIT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | PIT | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | PIT | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | 2 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
His older brother, Darcell Kitchens, was murdered outside of a bar inRichland, Georgia, on January 9, 2005.[40] Jones signed an endorsement deal forSubway just days before he was selected.[41] He later unveiled a statue bust of himself along with other Subway sandwiches, following in the footsteps ofquarterbackRobert Griffin III.[42] In 2019, he returned to the University of Georgia and graduated with a degree in Human Development and Family Science.[43]
In May 2025, Jones was named head football coach atGeorge Washington Carver High School inColumbus, Georgia.[44] In his first year as head coach, he led the team to a 15–0 record, winning theGHSA Class AA state championship with a 24–7 victory over theHapeville Charter Career Academy Hornets.[45]
Source: Steelers are not picking up the fifth-year option on Jarvis Jones.
James Harrison is back in the Pittsburgh Steelers starting lineup. Initially reported by Mark Kaboly of DKPittsburghSports.com, Harrison will replace Jarvis Jones