TSU Athletics Mourns The Passing Of Football Great Homer Jones

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Former TSU football great Homer Jones has passed at the age of 82.

A native of Pittsburg, Texas, Jones was a football and track & field standout at TSU from 1959-62. He excelled on a high level at both sports as he was a member of the 1962 USA Track team. On the gridiron, he was a versatile player at both wide receiver and halfback as he led TSU in rushing in 1961 while also leading the team in receiving yards in 1960 and 1961. TSU won 24 games during his career as he played under head coach Alexander Durley.

Drafted by the New York Giants (NFL) and Houston Oilers (AFL) in 1963, Jones spent his first training camp with the Oilers but didn’t finish camp due to an injury. The Giants picked up Jones as a result but he sat out due to rehabbing his knee. After only catching four passes in 1964, Jones exploded on the scene in 1965 with 709 yards on 26 receptions before three straight years with 1,000-plus yards. He recorded 744 receiving yards in 1969 before finishing his career with the Cleveland Browns in 1970.

Jones was a two-time pro bowler as his 4,845 receiving yards are the fifth most, and his 35 receiving touchdowns are still tied for the fifth most in Giants history. He is also credited as the father of modern touchdown celebrations as he was the first to spike the ball to the ground after a touchdown.