Deacon Jones Passes Away At 74 Years Old

titmfatiedNo Code

quote:
Deacon Jones Passes Away At 74 Years Old
redskins.com

The Washington Redskins have learned last night through EVP/General Manager Bruce Allen that Pro Football Hall of Famer David “Deacon” Jones has passed away from natural causes at his home in Southern California. He was 74 years old.

David “Deacon” Jones, who played for head coach George Allen with both the Los Angeles Rams and Redskins, Jones played defensive end in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams (1961-71), San Diego Chargers (1972-73), and the Redskins (1974).

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, his first year of eligibility. Jones elected to have George Allen as his presenter in Canton.

The Allen family had Jones present George Allen for his former coach's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2002.

Jones specialized in quarterback sacks, a term he coined. Nicknamed the "Secretary of Defense", Jones is considered one of the greatest defensive players ever.

Jones was draft in the 14th round of the 1961 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams.

He immediately became a part of the Fearsome Foursome defensive line of the Rams (along with Larry Lundy, Rosey Grier, and Merlin Olsen), which is now considered one of the best lines of all time.

In 1972, Jones was included in a multi-player trade with the San Diego Chargers and concluded his career with the Redskins in 1974.

Jones won consensus All-Pro honors for five consecutive seasons from 1965 through 1969, earned eight Pro Bowl honors and was twice named NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year (1967-68).

In 1994, he also was named to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. In 1999, he was named by Sports Illustrated as the "Defensive End of the Century."

The Jones family has request that their privacy be respected at this time.
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6/4/1312:16 AM

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

CoachAt the head of the table

He was a bad man.

That's a compliment.

R.I.P.

6/4/1312:26 AM

CAPackfanMember

RIP to an all time great

6/4/131:08 AM

michiganjoeMember

The master of the head slap.

RIP

6/4/134:12 AM

titmfatiedNo Code

NFL Films Remembers Deacon Jones

6/4/134:58 AM

ilcuquiTHE F*** WITH FASHION

Fearsome Foursome now down to Rosie Grier.

Packers-Rams of the 60's were the bomb. Jerry Kramer v. Merlin Olsen, Forrest Gregg v. Deacon. Deacon said Forrest was the best he ever faced.

Deacon and Reggie are the two best DE's ever. No one else is close.

6/4/136:27 AM

FandameMember

When Deacon hit a guy, he stayed hit. It was interesting to see how many QBs absolutely panicked and lost the ball when they saw Deacon coming at them. He was a monster and would still be one in today's game. Everything you ever wanted in a DE. RIP.

6/4/137:46 AM

TdogProspective Member

"He was a bad man
Talk about a bad man
Such a bad man, mean ol' Deacon Jones!"

which leads me to another song and verse...

"Gone are the days..." I miss mean ol' badass football.
RIP Deacon - thanks for setting the standard.

6/4/138:03 AM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by cuqui:
Fearsome Foursome now down to Rosie Grier.

Packers-Rams of the 60's were the bomb. Jerry Kramer v. Merlin Olsen, Forrest Gregg v. Deacon. Deacon said Forrest was the best he ever faced.

Deacon and Reggie are the two best DE's ever. No one else is close.

Bruce Smith is definitely in the conversation.

6/4/138:20 AM

TdogProspective Member

early Bruce Smith, ok.
later Bruce Smith who was just chasing records, not so much.

6/4/138:25 AM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

quote:
Deacon and Reggie are the two best DE's ever. No one else is close.

I'd put Bruce Smith close but after those 3....

6/4/139:13 AM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by Tdog:
early Bruce Smith, ok.
later Bruce Smith who was just chasing records, not so much.

You bashing the old guy who never played the run, spent half the game setting up his one move so he could collect a sack? Shame on you.

6/4/139:15 AM

ChilliJonI hate the Vikings!

Deacon was the first guy to make it a priority to put the QB on the ground. He came up with the term "sack".

I forget which football publication (it might have been PFW) went back and spent all kinds of time looking at film trying to find out how many sacks Deacon really had. I want to say it was just over 190. The NFL didn't start recording sacks as a stat until around 1970. He was the first outside speed rusher, and damn was he good.

Agreed Bruce Smith should be in the conversation with Deacon, although I'm still taking Deacon Jones.

Reggie is still on a different level entirely though.

6/4/139:21 AM

phaedrusMember

quote:
Originally posted by titmfatied:
NFL Films Remembers Deacon Jones

I am not entirely sure why, but for some reason my favorite representation of the NFL is the Jones sack on this piece against the Vikings (34 to 39 seconds of the video). Players have dirt on them. You can see the snow. It's a nice sack. Always loved that video.

I hate thinking that he is gone. He held a special place for me with respect to football (and athletes in general) greats.

RIP, sir.

6/4/139:30 AM

FandameMember

Deacon over Smith for his quickness and ability to destroy whoever was across from him, in addition to striking fear in QBs. It's no wonder they outlawed the head slap as there are probably old linemen whose heads are still ringing after a day spent across from Deacon.

It's amazing to see how many times Deacon pushed a blocker so far backwards that he was able to grab and tackle the QB with one hand despite the blocker. Smith was great, but he wasn't the demoralizer Deacon was.

6/4/1310:29 AM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by ChilliJon:
The NFL didn't start recording sacks as a stat until around 1970.

I think it became an official stat in 1982. Did the NFL keep tabs on it in 1970, or was it an Elias function?

6/4/1310:40 AM

ChilliJonI hate the Vikings!

I'm pretty sure you're confusing 1982 being the first year Brett Favre sent a picture of his sack. Polaroid one step. envelope. Stamp. Simpler times my @ss.

I did see that Deacon was "credited" for 26 sacks in 14 games in 1967. 24 more in 1968. Yikes.

Elias has been asked (and always refused) to go back before 1982 and credit sacks. From what I've seen the NFL kept track of how many times a QB was sacked starting as far back as 1963, but never for the defensive player that sacked the QB until 1982, and it was added in 1982 only because a "sack" started showing up as an incentive in more and more player contracts.

That's where John Turney comes in. Turney was a stat freak of the highest degree. He actually traveled from city to city pouring over game film, game sheets, archived info, box scores, and eventually built an all time sack list. I can't find anything that says his info isn't correct.

I could not find Turney's site but I did find a post that included his all time sack list here.

6/4/1311:06 AM

ilcuquiTHE F*** WITH FASHION

Just listened to Bruce Smith on NFLN talking about Deacon Jones. He managed to turn the discussion into more about himself than Deacon. When asked where Jones ranked amongst DE's, he said you could take Deacon, Reggie and (surprise!) Bruce Smith's name in a hat and pick two -- and went on to say that, of course, it was different for Deacon because he had Merlin Jones beside him and for Reggie because he had great linemen around him. Glad to see he considers John Jurkovich and Mike Golic great, let alone how he regards his teammates.

Putting Bruce Smith in the company of Deacon and Reggie is, IMO, not very far removed from putting Kevin Greene (a very good player, leading all time LB in sacks, but not an all-timer) up with Dick Butkus and Lawrence Taylor for LBs. He simply wasn't in that category.

6/4/1312:16 PM

IowacheeseKeen Insight

Think of the numbers Reggie would have put up if the first two years of his career he wasn't such a showboat.

6/4/132:41 PM

chickenboyTic Toc

I bet even Elk-Conda got a chuckle out of that!

6/4/133:09 PM

Blair KielGOOD OL' FAKE BLAIR KIEL - My Hood? nice Henry. Fuck You!

quote:
Originally posted by titmfatied:
NFL Films Remembers Deacon Jones

His ego went into the Hall of Fame five years before he did.

6/4/133:17 PM

FedyaMember

Hateful.

6/4/133:21 PM

ChilliJonI hate the Vikings!

Raceful.

6/4/133:32 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by cuqui:

Putting Bruce Smith in the company of Deacon and Reggie is, IMO, not very far removed from putting Kevin Greene (a very good player, leading all time LB in sacks, but not an all-timer) up with Dick Butkus and Lawrence Taylor for LBs. He simply wasn't in that category.

I don't really believe you saw him play. Do you forget he was a 3-4 end? No way he should be putting up sick numbers like that in that defense. Sack numbers be damned. The guy was unstoppable in his prime. Could not b ran on and could not be blocked as a pass rusher. There are serious football people who will tell you he was better than Reggie. I think Reggie was better, especially when he was with the Eagles, but it was close.

6/4/133:40 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by Blair Kiel:
quote:
Originally posted by titmfatied:
NFL Films Remembers Deacon Jones

His ego went into the Hall of Fame five years before he did.

My brother-in-law(Max Headroom on X4) met Deacon Jones once. He told Deacon he was too young to watch him play, but he had heard great things about the man. Deacon's response? Well, ya missed a great show, kid.

6/4/133:43 PM

ilcuquiTHE F*** WITH FASHION

quote:
Originally posted by Goalline:
I don't really believe you saw him play.

I watched him play. Even when he was in college. I said he was a very good player. Just not at the level of Jones and White. Now I could opine that you couldn't have seen Deacon or Reggie play, but I won't. At the end of the day, you have your opinion, I mine.

6/4/134:10 PM

JJSDSitzpinkler Schadenfreude

And there you have it.

Pwned.

6/4/134:15 PM

Satori"...going where the climate suits my clothes"

Just heard a cool interview on the radio talking about Deacon

Some of the O-linemen got wise to his ways of the head-slap so they would take a file and make sharp edges on the chin-strap snaps on the side of their helmet so it would cut Deacon's hand when he hit them. Deacon had the scars to prove it.

NOW THAT'S FOOTBALL !

6/4/134:21 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by cuqui:
At the end of the day, you have your opinion, I mine.

Indeed sir. I'm right and you are wrong.

Year, it is fun, but we will never convince each other, will we. By the way, you know I never did see Reggie play. Was he any good.

6/4/134:23 PM

ilcuquiTHE F*** WITH FASHION

quote:
Was he any good.

I never get tired of posting this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBIvU4z0GQ8

6/4/134:35 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

LMAO, I love telling my kids about that play. Imagine that. They can see it for themselves on Youtube.

6/4/134:55 PM

IowacheeseKeen Insight

quote:
Originally posted by JJSD:
And there you have it.

Pwned.

shocking...goaline getting one of his 32646 drooling posts slammed in his face

6/4/135:12 PM

Pack88Member

Being old enough to have watched Jones, White and Smith they were all phenomenal players but I still think Reggie White was the greatest defensive lineman I have ever seen. I know Smith was a 3-4 end but don't forget White spent time (2 seasons) in the USFL or he might have set records not breakable. If you were to ask anyone to name there most memorable Bruce Smith moment it would probably have been a speed move around the end, just like most DE's but how many WTF did you just see that plays from Reggie White have you seen. I know I can count a dozen where he just threw offensive linemen out of the way, or hurdled them when they tried to cut block him. No offense to Bruce Smith but 25 y\o Reggie White was the greatest DE in the history of the game. BTW somebody who doesn't get the ink or credit but was below this group was Doug Atkins from the Bears. He was the first Big Big DE 6-7 about 280 and when he was right he was the closest thing to Reggie White I have ever seen. He was not quite as fast as Reggie but he just pummeled blockers

Pack88

6/4/136:22 PM

GoallineLarge Antenna

quote:
Originally posted by Iowacheese:
quote:
Originally posted by JJSD:
And there you have it.

Pwned.

shocking...goaline getting one of his 32646 drooling posts slammed in his face

What can I say? Quantity, over quality. I'm guessing the 13 seconds you spent on this post matched the length of time your missus got last night, and that fateful night in San Diego with Judge Judy.

6/4/136:59 PM

titmfatiedNo Code

Much better highlight package of Deacon and has him doing some speaking as well. First a speech at the California hall of fame and then a great story about some chucklehead fan that came up to him wearing a helmet and asking to be slapped. Deacon obliged!

I only knew Deacon Jones as a kid watching all those "NFL Hardest Hits" video's they made when the violence was still encouraged. Deacon was without a doubt my favorite guy to watch on those tapes. As a kid hearing Deacon talk about the game made me want to play football.

6/4/137:15 PM

titmfatiedNo Code

I think it's also worth remembering that Deacon didn't come of age in the best social circumstances to say the least. This is his induction speech into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. He shares some of what he had to deal with and how he used the mistreatment for motivation. I set the video to start with Deacon instead of Jon Gruden acting like a coke addict.

6/4/138:15 PM

titmfatiedNo Code

Audio:
Deacon Jones' Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Speech (9m45s)

Listen to Deacon Jones deliver his enshrinement speech from the front steps of the Hall of Fame on Aug. 2, 1980. Preceding Jones' speech is George Allen, his presenter.

6/4/138:30 PM

ChilliJonI hate the Vikings!

Not a fan of Michael Irvin. But I'll be got dammed if he didn't absolutely nail some thoughts on Deacon Jones today.

Irvin on Deacon

Go to the 2:20 mark.

Then the chapter 11 loudmouth effs everything up.

6/4/138:30 PM

TdogProspective Member

of all the things, as I was switching channels last nite I paused as I went by METV cuz I thought I saw Deacon. sure enough, there he is on the Odd Couple playing the role of sports celebrity for a product commercial that Felix is shooting and Oscar is attempting to act in. From all appearances, Deacon was as comfortable in that role as he was putting the hurt to QBs.

6/5/138:07 AM

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