| No. 97, 98 | |||||||||
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| Position | Defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1966-01-09)January 9, 1966 (age 59) Lakeland, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 285 lb (129 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Okeechobee (FL) | ||||||||
| College | Miami (FL) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1990: 3rd round, 64th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Jimmie Sims Jones (born January 9, 1966) is an American former professionalfootball player who was adefensive tackle in theNational Football League (NFL) for theDallas Cowboys,Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, andPhiladelphia Eagles. He playedcollege football at theUniversity of Miami. With the Cowboys, he won back-to-back Super Bowls over theBuffalo Bills.
Jones attendedOkeechobee High School, but because he had to work to help support his mother, he didn't playfootball until his junior year when he only played in the last 4 games of the season, nevertheless, he still led the team in sacks and was third in tackles. He would miss all of his senior seasonfootball games, because he had to work in a drugstore during the team's summer workouts and the new head coach put in place a policy that left him out of the team.[1]
His high school athletic director (Jim Kirk) sent a highlight tape of his only games as a starter to different colleges, which eventually helped him get a football scholarship from theUniversity of Miami. He was a backupdefensive end as aredshirt freshman.
As a sophomore, he started the season opener atright defensive tackle. The next week he broke his hand in practice, but still managed to finish the season second on the team in quarterback pressures and posted a career-high 12 tackles againstEast Carolina University.[2]
As a junior, he started the final 4 games at right defensive tackle, registering 8 tackles and 2 sacks in the 23-3 win againstNebraska in the1989 Orange Bowl.
As a senior, he was forced to miss spring workouts in order to earn money as a valet attendant at a restaurant, givingCortez Kennedy the edge to start at right defensive tackle. He missed 3 games with a knee injury. He rotated with Kennedy andRussell Maryland, helping the team lead the nation in scoring defense and total defense.[3] He finished his college career winning two national championships (1987 and 1989), while recording 105 tackles, 68 assists and16+1⁄2 sacks.
Although he was a backup during his college career, Jones was selected by theDallas Cowboys in the third round (64th overall) of the1990 NFL draft.[4][5] As a rookie, he had his best year, working as the primary backup at bothdefensive tackle positions and starting a total of six games, with five games replacing an injuredDean Hamel. At the end of the season, he finished tied withdefensive endDanny Stubbs for the team lead with 7 1/2 sacks, while adding 60 tackles, three passes defensed and 14 quarterback pressures. He also ranked sixth among all interior lineman in theNFL in sacks and was voted to the All-rookie team. Jones andDeMarcus Ware are the only rookies to ever lead or tie for the Cowboys' team lead in sacks.
In1991, he started five games atright defensive tackle. He finished the season with 33 tackles, six tackles for loss (second on the team), two sacks and 10 quarterback pressures.
In1992, he started the season opener atleft defensive tackle in place of an injuredTony Casillas, making five tackles (two for loss), and one quarterback pressure. He also started in the third game against thePhoenix Cardinals. He finished the season with 23 tackles, four sacks, 11 quarterback pressures and one forced fumble. InSuper Bowl XXVII he recovered two fumbles (tied Super Bowl record), including one that went for a two-yardtouchdown, giving the Cowboys a 14-7 lead in the first quarter.[6]
In1993, he posted 24 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 16 quarterback pressures and one blocked kick. He also was a part of one of the most famousThanksgiving football plays, when he blocked a 41-yardfield goal attempt from theMiami Dolphins'Pete Stoyanovich, to preserve what seemed an apparent 14-13 victory, but as the ball rolled toward the Cowboys' end zone,Leon Lett kicked the ball and the Dolphins recovered. Stoyanovich would go on to convert a secondfield goal with three seconds left, giving the Dolphins a 16-14 victory.[7]
During his four-year Cowboys career, he helped the team win two Super Bowls against theBuffalo Bills twice, played a total of 65 games, starting 16 and recording 19 sacks. He was an effective pass rusher who got most of his playing time on passing downs, and was key backup in the best defense and bestdefensive line rotation in the NFL.[8]
On March 4,1994, theLos Angeles Rams signed Jones to a four-year contract for $7.7 million, including a $2 signing bonus.[9] He played in 14 games (starting all) and recorded five sacks.
In1995, the Rams ownerGeorgia Frontiere, moved the franchise toSt. Louis, Missouri. Jones started 16 games at leftdefensive tackle and did not record a sack.
In1996, he started 16 games, registering 61 tackles and 5.5 sacks. On April 22,1997, he was released by the Rams in asalary cap move.[10]
On July 22,1997, thePhiladelphia Eagles signed Jones to a one-year contract.[11] He posted 7 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 14 games, while coming in on passing downs, a role he played while in Dallas. He wasn't re-signed after the season.