Hall of Fame
Position: Quarterback
Years: 1970-1972
Place of Birth: Ruston, LA
Date of Birth: Sep 07, 1951
Jersey Number: 7
Height: 6-3"
Weight: 205
High School: Ruston High School (LA)
Possessing as strong an arm as any quarterback in college history, Bert Jones finished fourth for the 1972 Heisman Trophy after a consensus First Team All-America season at LSU. "The Ruston Rifle" becomes the ninth Tiger player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Sporting News’1972 National Player of the Year, Jones finished his career as LSU’s all-time leader in passing yards, completions, attempts and touchdowns. The First Team All-SEC selection led the Tigers to three consecutive bowl games, including a win in the 1971 Sun Bowl where he was named MVP after recording the longest pass play in the school’s bowl history with a 77-yard pass. Jones led the SEC in passing in both his junior and senior seasons, and he was a member of LSU’s 1970 SEC championship team. One of his most famous moments came against Ole Miss in 1972 when, with time expired, he threw a touchdown pass to Brad Davis in the corner of the end zone for a 17-16 LSU victory to keep alive an 11-game win streak. Jones played for College Football Hall of Fame coach Charlie McClendon and alongside Hall of Famer Tommy Casanova during his time in Baton Rouge.
The second overall pick in the 1973 draft by the Baltimore Colts, Jones spent 10 years in the league with the Colts and the Los Angeles Rams. His best season as a pro came in 1976 when he was named NFL MVP, NFL Offensive Player of the Year and a Pro Bowl selection. Jones was inducted into the State of Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.
As an avid outdoorsman, hunter and private landowner, Jones is actively involved in timber and wildlife management and conservation. He is the co-founder of Louisiana Clean Team (addressing trash and litter problems), the former chairman of Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission and the past national chairman of both the Treated Wood Council and American Wood Preservers Institute. He is the longtime host of the annual Bert Jones Golf Classic, now in its 27th year, which has raised nearly $2 million for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. A member of the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame and the LSU Alumni Association Hall of Distinction, Jones currently serves as the owner and operator of Mid-States Wood Preservers, Inc. in Louisiana.
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