His nickname belied his calling. David “Deacon” Jones was the most feared member of the Fearsome Foursome, the original sackmaster.
Reggie White, Bruce Smith, Lawrence Taylor they all followed the lead set by Jones, who died Monday at 74.
“Deacon Jones was one of the greatest players in NFL history. Off the field, he was a true giant,” said Redskins general manager Bruce Allen, whose father, George, coached Jones with the Los Angeles Rams. “His passion and spirit will continue to inspire those who knew him. He was a cherished member of the Allen family and I will always consider him my big brother.”
Not only was Jones the main practitioner of the sack in his 14 pro seasons, he coined the term. Jones, who played college football at South Carolina State and Mississippi Valley State, once compared bringing down quarterbacks to hog-tying them in a sack. He was smiling when he said it.
Yet Jones never got the statistical credit for all those QB knockdowns; sacks didn’t become an official statistic in the NFL until 1982.
Jones retired after the 1974 season, having played 11 years with the Rams, two with the Chargers and one with the Redskins. Rams stats show Jones with 159 1/2 sacks for them and 173 1/2 for his career all unofficial, of course. Jones also was one of the most durable players, missing just five games in his pro career.
He entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.
