Cullowhee, N.C. – Catamount Athletics was saddened to learn Friday evening of the passing of former Western Carolina football player and 13-year NFL veteran Tony Jones.
Originally from Royston, Ga., Jones was a four-year letterman for the Catamounts from 1984-87 under legendary head coach Bob Waters where he played strong offensive tackle. In 2000, Jones was selected to WCU's 20th Century All-time football team that featured players from 1931 through 1999. Jones helped the Catamounts win 22 games over his four-year career including an 8-3 record in 1984.
Jones played for 13 seasons between three NFL squads including the Cleveland Browns, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Western Carolina in 1988. Jones made the move with the Browns franchise to Baltimore where he played one season with the Ravens in their inaugural year in 1996 before being traded to the Denver Broncos where he spent the next four years.
Progressing as a backup in his first season with the Browns, Jones became a starter by the end of the 1989 season, starting in a pair of playoff games including the AFC Championship. He played right tackle before moving to the left side of the offensive line where he earned second-team All-Pro accolades in 1994. Jones was a part of back-to-back championships with the Broncos in 1997 and 1998, earning his only Pro Bowl selection in 1998.
All told, Jones started 174 of his 184 career football games that included starts in 12 of his 13 playoff appearances, and was selected to the Denver Broncos' Top 100 team back in 2019.
From ESPN.com: Tony Jones, two-time Super Bowl champion with Denver Broncos, dies at 54
From WKYC in Cleveland: Former Cleveland Browns All-Pro left tackle Tony Jones dies at 54
From Fox 8 in Cleveland: Former Browns tackle Tony Jones passes away at 54
From the Rome News-Tribune in Georgia: Former Broncos Pro Bowl OT Tony Jones dies at 54
From ClevelandBrowns.com: Former Browns OT Tony Jones passes away
From CBSSports.com: Tony Jones, two-time Super Bowl champion with Broncos who also played for Browns and Ravens, dies at 54
