Marvin Jones (linebacker)


Marvin Maurice Jones is an American former professional football player who was a middle linebacker in the National Football League for eleven seasons during the 1990s and early 2000s. Jones played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was recognized as an All-American twice. He was drafted in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the New York Jets and he played his entire professional career for the Jets. In 2018, Jones was the head coach for the Cedar Rapids Titans in the Indoor Football League.

Early years

Marvin Jones was born in Miami, Florida. He graduated from Miami Northwestern High School, where he played high school football for the Northwestern Bulls.

College career

While attending Florida State University, Jones played for coach Bobby Bowden's Seminoles team from 1990 to 1992. The Seminoles finished 10–2 in 1991 and 11–1 in 1992, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in the latter, Florida State's first season in the league. Jones was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in both 1991 and 1992, and was honored by Sporting News as its College Football Player of the Year in 1992. He decided to forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. The Seminoles inducted him into the FSU Hall of Fame in 2000.

Professional career

The New York Jets selected Jones in the first round, fourth overall pick, of the 1993 NFL Draft, and he played for the Jets from to. Nicknamed "Shade Tree" by his teammates, Jones recorded a career high 135 tackles and was named a first-team All-Pro in. In eleven seasons, Jones played in 142 NFL regular season games, started 129 of them, and compiled 1,021 tackles, nine sacks, five interceptions for 42 yards, 31 pass deflections, ten forced fumbles, and eight fumble recoveries.
Jones signed a one-day contract with the Jets to retire following the season.
YearTeam
1993NYJ9262060.0010000003
1994NYJ158559260.5100000001
1995NYJ109058321.5100000003
1996NYJ1210375281.0000000000
1997NYJ1612686403.0210000004
1999NYJ169168231.0110115151505
2000NYJ16133100331.0210000002
2001NYJ1613595401.021032791805
2002NYJ1610976330.0120100004
2003NYJ1611874440.0010000003
Career1421,0167113059.01080542818030

Coaching career

Jones was the linebackers coach of the Brooklyn Bolts of the Fall Experimental Football League in 2014. He was the interim head coach for the Colorado Crush of the Indoor Football League in 2017. He initially took the defensive coordinator position with the Richmond Roughriders of the American Arena League for the 2018 season, but was named the head coach of the Cedar Rapids Titans of the IFL in January 2018 prior to either 2018 season beginning.

Personal life

Jones started the Marvin Jones Charitable Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting and motivating youth towards success by engaging them in positive experiences through academics, community involvement and sports.
Jones holds a B.S in Psychology from Florida State University, an A.S. from Charter Oak State College, and diplomas in counseling and herbal medicine from the Institute of Natural Healing. He lives in Fort Myers, Florida.