As a student, Jon Gaines II got good grades. That was the expectation around his house, and as the youngest in the family, the standard, as they say, was the standard.
The Cardinals' third-year offensive lineman wasn't the smartest in school, but context matters. He attended Marquette University High School in Milwaukee – an all-boys prep with the accompanying rigorous academics – and "getting in there was probably a good sign," Gaines said with a smile.
UCLA was his college of choice – Ivy League Princeton was nearly the place first – and Gaines got an impressive 31 on his ACT.
None of this necessarily helps Gaines, who has been starting at left guard with the absence of Evan Brown, block some 290-pound menace on Sundays. But it does make a difference on the field and is meaningful to the Cardinals.
"He's super smart." coach Jonathan Gannon said. "I know if you ask him, he is comfortable playing anything. I know he's really comfortable playing center, but it's been cool to see him and (center) Hjalte (Froholdt) in there with the communication piece to that. He's so intelligent and I think (over) these last kind of couple games that he has played, I think he is getting better."
Gaines, a fourth-round pick in 2023, lost his rookie season to an ACL tear. He appeared in 13 games in 2024 as a reserve, sometimes getting snaps at fullback in jumbo packages, and was again slowed this season after hurting his hand in the preseason.
But with Brown dealing with a personal matter, Gaines was inserted into the lineup as a starter for the last three games. He also moved to center for a series against the Falcons after Froholdt was getting looked at for an elbow injury.
"I'm trying to optimize every opportunity coming my way," Gaines said with a smile. "I don't know what else to say. Lots to improve on.
"You want to play. If you love football, you want to play football."
The Gaines brain gives the Cardinals a second center in the game, aside from Froholdt. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing noted that, especially when the Cardinals are on the road and operating with a silent count, Froholdt's eyes aren't always on the defense. Gaines can help with the communication along the line given his center background.
"All the preparation he's been doing over the past couple years with the injuries he's had … it's paying off," right tackle Kelvin Beachum said. "He knows where he needs to be when he needs to be.
"First impressions matter."
Gaines knows this. It's what he learned from his parents, from his two older siblings. He is about a decade younger than his brother, seven years his sister's junior. His father is a CEO of a non-profit, his mother a strong woman who has not let a permanent disability slow her.
Education was important in the Gaines house, as well as having a sense of self.
"You take pride in doing things the right way, and that comes from knowing what you're doing, and that comes from expectations," Gaines said. "Expectations were always a big thing in my family. It wasn't like they were pressing me to do anything crazy, but if the expectations were to handle your business, you grow up understanding what you have to do."
In this case, it's finding ways to clear holes for Michael Carter, or protect Jacoby Brissett. Gaines' family came en masse to watch the home finale last weekend, a chance for Gaines' six-month old son to meet his 1-year-old cousin.
They all got to see Gaines on the field, as a starter, handling his business and showing off his smarts.
"It's always something I've prided myself on, knowing what to do," Gaines said. "To be able to do something fast, you've got to know it, and know it cold."
