NoteCARDS
- Acquired by the Cardinals in a trade with the New England Patriots on 3/15/16. Cardinals sent G Jonathan Cooper and their 2016 second-round pick (#61) to the Patriots. Received franchise tag on 2/27/17 and signed a new five-year contract on 3/10/17.
- Has played in 71 games (68 starts) and recorded 274 tackles, 47.0 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, one INT and 11 passes defensed. Has also appeared in nine postseason games (eight starts), including the Patriots victory in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium, and totaled 18 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
- During his first season with Arizona in 2016, started all 16 games and was a Pro Bowl alternate after collecting 57 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 11.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 14 QB pressures and 22 QB hits.
- Combined with Markus Golden’s 12.5 sacks, the 2016 season marked just the third time in franchise history (1983, 1984) the Cardinals had multiple players with double-digit sacks in a season.
- In his first season with the Cardinals, Arizona led the NFL in sacks (48.0) for just the second time in franchise history (1983).
- Dating back to the 2013 season, Jones’ second in the NFL, his 41.0 sacks represent the fifth-best total in the NFL.
- He is one of three players in the NFL (Von Miller, Khalil Mack) to have double digit sacks in each of the past two seasons.
- Has 13 career multi-sack games. Dating back to the 2013 season, his 12 games with multiple sacks are tied with Kansas City’s Justin Houston for the second-most in the NFL behind Houston’s J.J. Watt (16).
- Since 2012, just four NFL players have 250+ tackles, 45+ sacks and 10+ forced fumbles: Jones, JJ Watt, Ryan Kerrigan and Von Miller.
- Named to his first Pro Bowl with New England in 2015 after establishing a career high with 12.5 sacks. His 12.5 sacks that season were the fifth most in the NFL.
- Was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month in November, 2013 after registering 16 tackles and four sacks in three games. Earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 2 of the 2014 season after he had eight tackles, two sacks, and a blocked FG returned for a TD at Minnesota.
- Named NFL Rookie of the Month for September, 2012 when he had 19 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles in his first four career games.
- Has two brothers: Arthur, a free agent defensive tackle, and Jon “Bones” Jones, a UFC fighter.
Pro Career: Originally entered the NFL as a first-round pick (21st overall) of the New England Patriots in the 2012 NFL Draft. Traded to Cardinals in exchange for G Jonathan Cooper and Arizona’s 2016 second-round pick (#61) on 3/15/16. Received “non-exclusive” franchise tag on 2/27/17 and signed new five-year contract with Cardinals on 3/10/17.
2016: Started all 16 games and finished second on the team with 11.0 sacks while tying for second with 18 tackles for loss … was his third double-digit sack season in five years in the NFL; along with teammate Markus Golden (12.5), gave Cardinals two players with double-digit sacks for just the third time in franchise history and first time since 1984 … tied for the team lead and equaled career high with four forced fumbles and added 57 tackles, two fumble recoveries, three passes defensed, 22 QB hits and 14 QB pressures … selected as a Pro Bowl alternate … in his Cardinals debut against his former team, had a sack and a fumble recovery vs. NE (9/11); recovered a fumble in the second quarter that led to a Cardinals TD and then sacked Jimmy Garoppolo for a five-yard loss in the fourth quarter; totaled five tackles, including one for loss … had a 10-yard sack on game’s final drive vs. TB (9/18); also had one solo tackle for loss and team highs with four QB pressures and four QB hits … registered a sack for third straight game when he brought down Tyrod Taylor for a two-yard loss in the second quarter @ Buf (9/25); totaled five tackles, including a team-leading three for loss, and added two QB pressures and two QB hits … notched four solo tackles and a sack vs. LAR (10/2); forced and recovered a fumble by Case Keenum on his third-quarter sack; fourth straight game with a sack made him the first player in team history (joined later in the same game by Markus Golden) with a sack in each of the season’s first four games … posted season-high seven tackles, including one for loss @ SF (10/6); also had one pass defensed (deflecting pass that was picked off by Calais Campbell) … sacked Russell Wilson and forced a fumble in the fourth quarter vs. Sea (10/23); also had three solo tackles and three QB hits … recorded a season-high 2.0 sacks vs. SF (11/13); marked his 11th career multi-sack game and first with Arizona; totaled four tackles, including two for loss, and had three QB hits … sacked Sam Bradford and forced a fumble that Cardinals recovered in the fourth quarter @ Min (11/20); added five tackles, including two for loss … registered four tackles and a team-high three for loss @ Mia (12/11) … recorded 1.5 sacks @ Sea (12/24); totaled five tackles, one for loss, and added three QB pressures and three QB hits … notched 1.5 sacks for the second straight week @ LAR (1/1/17); marked his third multi-sack game of the season and 13th career; also had two tackles, one for loss, a forced fumble, one pass defensed and two QB hits.
2015: Started 15 games and both postseason contests, totaling 44 tackles and setting career highs with 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles … also had his first career INT and added one pass defensed … selected to first Pro Bowl in his career … posted a career-high three sacks in victory @ Buf (9/20); had two sacks in the second quarter and added another in the third quarter, marking his seventh career multi-sack game … recorded four tackles and 2.5 sacks of Andrew Luck @ Ind (10/18), his second multiple-sack game of the season and eighth of his career … forced a fumble on a sack of Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. NYJ (10/25) … notched his third multi-sack game in the season’s first seven games when he had two vs. Mia (10/29) … had one sack each vs. Was (11/8) and @ NYG (11/15), giving him at least one sack in five consecutive games, the longest streak of his career; also forced a fumble on the sack of Eli Manning against the Giants … collected his first career INT when he picked off Brock Osweiler in the second quarter @ Den (11/29); led to a TD on the Patriots ensuing possession; also forced a fumble later in the game … sacked and forced a fumble by Marcus Mariota that was recovered in the end zone for a Patriots TD vs. Ten (12/20); added a second sack in the third quarter for his fourth multi-sack game of the season and the 10th of his career … inactive (abdomen/toe) for regular season finale @ Mia (1/3/16) … registered four tackles, a sack of Alex Smith and forced a Knile Davis fumble in Divisional Playoff win vs. KC (1/16/16) … had one solo tackle in AFC Championship Game @ Den (1/24/16).
2014: Played in 10 games (eight starts) and finished with 43 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and two passes defensed … also started all three postseason games, recording eight tackles and a sack as the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium … had season highs with eight tackles and two sacks and scored his second career TD when he blocked a 48-yard FG attempt and returned it 58 yards for a score @ Min (9/14); marked his second career blocked FG; earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career … recorded a half-sack @ KC (9/29) … had five tackles and a sack while forcing and recovering a Kyle Orton fumble @ Buf (10/12) … added a sack in second straight game vs. NYJ (10/16) … inactive (hip) the next six games … returned from injury to record seven tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble vs. Mia (12/14) … collected four tackles in Divisional Playoff vs. Bal (1/10/15) … had one tackle in AFC Championship Game vs. Ind (1/18/15) … notched three tackles and his first career postseason sack in Super Bowl XLIX victory vs. Sea (2/1/15).
2013: Started all 16 games and had a career-best 82 tackles … also totaled 11.5 sacks, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery for a TD and a blocked FG … became first Patriots player with five or more sacks in each of his first two seasons since Chris Slade (1993-94) … tied for third in the AFC and ranked seventh in the NFL in sacks … had five tackles and a season-best two sacks vs. NYJ (9/12) … recorded two half-sacks vs. TB (9/22) … posted a half-sack @ Cin (10/6) and a full sack vs. NO (10/13) … totaled a career-high 11 tackles and added two sacks and a forced fumble @ NYJ (10/20); gave him a sack in three straight games and four sacks in two meetings with the Jets … blocked a 39-yard FG attempt with 2:51 remaining to help preserve New England’s victory vs. Mia (10/27) … totaled four sacks in a three-game span: two vs. Pit (11/3) and one each @ Car (11/18) and vs. Den (11/24); earned AFC Defensive Player of the Month for November with 16 tackles and four sacks in three games … registered his final sack of the season @ Mia (12/15) … scored first career TD when he recovered a fumbled shotgun snap in the end zone @ Bal (12/22) … started Divisional Playoff vs. Ind (1/11/14) and AFC Championship Game (1/19/14) and had three total tackles.
2012: Appeared in 14 games (13 starts) as a rookie and totaled 48 tackles, six sacks, five passes defensed and three forced fumbles … started in his NFL debut @ Ten (9/9) and had six tackles and his first career sack and forced fumble in the game; forced fumble was recovered by fellow rookie Dont’a Hightower and returned for a TD … had a sack and forced fumble in his second straight game vs. Ari (9/16) … recorded six tackles and a sack @ Buf (9/30); gave him three sacks in first four career games, the most by a Patriots rookie since Chris Slade had five (1993) … named NFL Rookie of the Month for September after totaling 19 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles in four games … set season highs with nine tackles and two sacks and added a forced fumble @ Sea (10/14); marked his first career multi-sack game … collected four tackles and a sack @ StL (10/28) … suffered ankle injury vs. Ind (11/18) and missed the next two games … returned for last four games of the season, and capped off regular season with six tackles and two passes defensed vs. Mia (12/30) … started and had two tackles in Divisional Playoff vs. Hou (1/13/13) … played in AFC Championship Game vs. Bal (1/20/13).
College: Played in 32 games (28 starts) and totaled147 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, one INT, five forced fumbles and a fumble recovery … entered NFL draft following his junior season … earned first-team All-Big East honors as a junior in 2011 when he made seven starts and had 38 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and a career-best 4.5 sacks … also had two forced fumbles and an INT … was a second-team all-conference selection as a sophomore after starting all 13 games and recording 57 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery … received second-team National All-Freshman honors from Phil Steele in 2009 … played in all 12 games with eight starts and finished with 52 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks … member of the 2010 Spring Athletic Director’s Honor’s Roll … redshirted in 2008.
Personal: Attended Union-Endicott (NY) High School where he was rated among the top 15 prospects in the state by Scout.com and Super Prep … earned first-team All-State and all-Metro honors after totaling 75 tackles, seven sacks, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries as a senior in 2007 … also played TE and averaged a team-high 17.4 yards per catch … has two brothers: Arthur, a defensive tackle currently a free agent, and Jon, a UFC fighter … majored in Child and Family Studies.
