Hall of Fame
Position: Halfback
Years: 1964-1966
Place of Birth: Cleveland, OH
Date of Birth: May 24, 1945
Jersey Number: 26
Height: 6-0"
Weight: 210
High School: Cathedral Latin (Ohio)
A consensus First Team All-American his senior year, Clinton Jones led Michigan State to back-to-back national championships in 1965 and 1966. He becomes the eighth Spartan to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time First Team All-American, Jones finished sixth in the 1966 Heisman Trophy voting, and he was a two-time consensus First Team All-Big Ten selection. The Cleveland native led the Spartans to back-to-back Big Ten championships in 1965 and 1966, and he set conference single-game records for rushing touchdowns (4) and rushing yards with 268. Jones led Michigan State in rushing as a junior and senior, and he finished his career as the school’s second all-time leading rusher with 1,921 yards and 20 touchdowns. Coached by College Football Hall of Famer Duffy Daugherty, Jones led Michigan State to a 19-1-1 record and a berth to the 1966 Rose Bowl during his career while playing alongside Hall of Famers Bubba Smith, Gene Washington and George Webster.
The second overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the 1967 NFL Draft, Jones spent six seasons with the Vikings and one final season with the San Diego Chargers. He helped the Vikings reach Super Bowl IV and finished his NFL career with 2,178 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns as well as 5,035 all-purpose yards.
Jones was inducted into the Michigan State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012. After his playing career, he received a Doctorate of Chiropractic from Cleveland Chiropractic College in 1979. His civic awards include the 1966 Big Brothers of America “Big Brother of the Year” Award and the 1981 Spinal Column Stressology Research Society Special Achievement Award. Jones currently owns Jones Chiropractic Wellness and Sports Rehabilitation Center in Lake Balboa, Calif.
