Homer Jones, a Texas Southern alum who played seven seasons in the NFL and is credited with inventing the most widely used touchdown celebration in pro football, died Wednesday at 82 years old after a battle with lung cancer.
Jones played wide receiver for the New York Giants from 1964 to 1969 and the Cleveland Browns in 1970. He was traded to the then-St. Louis Cardinals in 1971, but knee injuries forced him to retire before he played a game for the Cardinals.
Before his NFL career, Jones played football and ran track at Texas Southern, and was a member of the 1962 US Olympic track team, alongside another track and football legend, Florida A&M and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, the late “Bullet” Bob Hayes.
Jones was a part of Tigers teams that went 25-17 in his four years on the team, in which he moved from linebacker to fullback and finally to flanker (now, wide receiver).
Jones was drafted by both the National Football League (New York Giants) and the rival American Football League (Houston Oilers) in 1963. Jones chose the Oilers at first, but then a knee injury saw him cut by the Oilers. The Giants quickly picked up him and by the time the 1965 season rolled around, he was named a starter by the team.
Just as that season was beginning, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced that players would be fined $500 for throwing footballs in the stands after touchdowns, a common practice then. Only making $10,000 at the time, Jones figured that was too much money to risk, so he came up with an alternate plan.
After an 89-yard touchdown reception against the Philadelphia Eagles, Jones slammed the ball into the ground, thus creating the spike celebration.
Jones would go on to record three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons between 1966 and 1968, during an era where teams ran more often than they passed. He also made two Pro Bowls (1967 and 1968) and still holds the Giants’ team record for longest touchdown reception (98 yards, September 11, 1966 at Pittsburgh). Jones also led the NFL in touchdown receptions (13) in 1967.
After the 1969 season, Jones was traded to the Cleveland Browns, and he made one more bit of history at the end of his career.
On September 21, 1970, the Browns and New York Jets played in the very first Monday Night Football game in NFL history. Jones returned the second-half kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, becoming the first player to do so on Monday Night Football as the Browns won 34-21.
Jones finished his NFL career with 224 receptions for 4,936 yards. His 22.3 yards per catch still is tops all-time among NFL players with at least 200 catches.
