Date of birth | June 23, 1950 |
---|---|
Place of birth | Wilmington, Delaware |
Career information | |
CFL status | International |
Position(s) | QB |
Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
Weight | 196 lb (89 kg) |
College | USC |
Career history | |
As player | |
1973–1975 | Montreal Alouettes |
1976–1978 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1979 | Ottawa Rough Riders |
CFL East All-Star | 1974 |
Jimmy Jones (born June 23, 1950) was an all-star quarterback in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Jones was a graduate of the University of Southern California (USC). He moved to Canada in 1973, and played for the Montreal Alouettes, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Ottawa Rough Riders, and helped lead the Alouettes to a Grey Cup win in 1974.
Jones played football at John Harris High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he became one of top rated quarterbacks in the nation.
He won the starter job during his junior year, passing and running for over 2,300 yards and 20 touchdowns, then 2,400 yards with 40 touchdowns in his senior year.
Jones was named to the first team All-American High School team in 1968 and had numerous scholarship offers.
He was such a dominant player at this level, that the school retired his number No. 10 jersey after his last game. John Harris High School was merged with William Penn High School in 1971, becoming Harrisburg High School.
Jones attended the University of Southern California and became one of the few African American starting quarterbacks of that era in Division I (NCAA), influencing during his college career the breaking of different color barriers.
As a sophomore in 1969, he helped lead USC to an undefeated season (10-0-1), a Rose Bowl win over the University of Michigan and a third-place ranking. During that season the team became known as the "Cardiac Kids", because of their last-minute comebacks. Jones was also the first African American quarterback to appear on a Sports Illustrated Cover (9/29/1969).