A Tribute to One of the Greatest

With the Larry O'Brien Trophy and Lord Stanley's Cup finding their home for the next 12 months in Miami and Chicago, respectively, in the past week, we have hit the summer doldrums of exciting sports action. Even as a baseball enthusiast, I can admit that the period between the end of the playoffs of hockey and basketball and the beginning of football season provides a dreary outlook for the common sports fan. Nobody really enjoys the 1 p.m. game between the White Sox and Tigers, even when Miguel Cabrera goes 4-4 with multiple home runs (which he has done three times this season, and that is amazing). But not to fear, casual sports fans, the NFL season is only 2 months away and there are lots of interesting story lines forming. One that has not gained as much press as say, Aaron Hernandez's apparent secret life as a homicidal gang banger, is a new award which will be handed out at the end of the season. The first Deacon Jones Trophy, created in honor of the late Deacon Jones, will be awarded to the NFL player who records the most sacks on the season. If you read this blog, you probably do not know about Deacon Jones because you were not alive when David "Deacon" Jones was playing, but you should.

There are a handful of players in the history of any sport whom, through their physical ability, mental acumen, grandoise personality, or some combination of all three, change the way the game is played. Bill Russel changed the NBA forever with his ability to block shots. Jackie Robinson changed baseball forever by proving that an African American could play in the MLB. And Deacon Jones changed football forever by the way he terrorized opponents quarterbacks.

David Jones was born in Eatonville, Florida in December of 1938. As a young man his life was heavily impacted by the racism that oppressed African Americans as much as the offensive summer heat. Recounting his formative days Jones once said," Unlike many black people then, I was determined not be what society said I was". He played football, baseball, and basketball, but football,"Thank God I had the ability to play a violent game like football, it gave me an outlet for all the anger in my heart." Channeling the anger onto the gridiron, Jones earned a scholarship to South Carolina State University. However following his first year Jones' scholarship was revoked because he was involved in the civil rights movement. Jones transferred to Mississippi Vocational College and played one more year before declaring for the NFL draft.

Jones was drafted in the 14th round of the 1961 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams and became partners on the left side of the defensive line with Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen. The nickname "Deacon" was coined at this time because Jones felt that the religious implications of the name provided some contrast to the violent way in which he played. Playing at defensive end, Deacon placed heavy emphasis on rushing the quarterback, a tactic that up until that point was not a part of defensive line strategy. Revolutionizing the defensive end position was probably not his intention at the time, just merely the way he played football, but from such humble beginnings, that is exactly what he would do.

In 1961, his rookie season, he tackled the quarterback eight times in the backfield, and maybe more importantly added a term to football lingo that is now known the world over, the "sack". Jones would later say that he came up with the name "sack" because he felt that the devastation he created in the backfield was similar to the devastation wrought on cities that were being sacked by invaders. The NFL did not begin recording sacks until 1961, Jones' inaugural season, and did not assign sacks to specific defenders until the 1982 season, so all of Jones' numbers are technically unofficial, but following his rookie season, Deacon would go on to put up the most impressive string of seasons a defensive end has ever recorded.

From 1962 to 1970, Deacon recorded the following sack totals: 12, 20, 22, 19, 18, 26, 24,15, and 12. Reflect on that for a moment.

The current NFL record for sacks is 22.5, in 16 games, held by Michael Strahan.

Deacon Jones recorded his two most impressive totals, 26 and 24 (which would be one and two in the single season record book obviously) in 14 games.

Obviously there are differences in the modern game. More complex pass protections, bigger offensive linemen, schemes designed to limit the effectiveness of pass rushers, all of these things have altered the ability of defensive ends and outside linebackers to get to the quarterback. So one could say that it is unfair or unreasonable to compare Deacon's numbers versus the current crop of sack masters, but that would be asinine. Although the advanced statistical coverage that is available today is not available for seasons decades ago, I think it is a fair assumption that the percentage of plays in which a team passes the ball is significantly higher today than it was in the 1960's, thereby giving defensive players more chances to record sacks. In addition, offensive formations at the time often called for seven men on the line, providing both a tackle and a tight end, who were used almost exclusively for blocking, to shield the quarterback from Deacon and his ferocious onslaught. One cannot overlook his left side (strong side) partner Merlin Olsen, himself a 14 time pro-bowler (tied for the NFL record), but Jones did not play his entire career alongside Olsen.

Jones' impact on football continued long after his retirement, and will continue long after his passing this summer. Coaches, commentators, and opponents credit him with modernizing defensive football. Historic players such as Lawrence Thomas have said they idolized Deacon and attempted to model their games after him. Even current players like Demarcus Ware, the fastest player ever to 100 sacks, look up to Jones. After his death, Ware said, "I think he is the greatest ever."

However his impact is not, and was not, limited to the football field and football players. He established, and chaired, the Deacon Jones Foundation in 1997, which provides scholarships to inner city students in exchange for volunteer work. He also made several trips to the Middle East to visit with soldiers, even though he was in his late 60's.

So at the end of this season, when the inaugural Deacon Jones trophy is handed to the player with the most sacks it will be a bittersweet moment. On one hand it will be a tribute to the man who invented the term and changed the way football is played, but it will also be a reminder that the man who was so gifted in many aspects of life is no longer with us.

Beyond all his gifts as a player and a humanitarian, Jones was a gifted mind, with an acute understanding of self, and success. Coming from virtually nothing, battling the stereotypes of society as well as opposing offensive linemen, Deacon was well aware of the hard work it took to be great, and that is a lesson we can all learn from. I think that sentiment is summed up greatly by a quote from Jones that is relevant to everybody, "all men are created equal, from there it is up to you."

RIP David "Deacon" Jones.