Jones attended the University of Southern California and became one of the few African American starting quarterbacks of that era in Division I (National Collegiate Athletic Association), influencing during his college career the breaking of different color barriers.
Jones was a graduate of the University of Southern California ( University of Southern California). Jones played football at John Harris High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he became one of top rated quarterbacks in the nation. Jones was named to the first team All-American High School team in 1968 and had numerous scholarship offers.
He was such a dominant player at this level, that the school retired his number Number.
10 jersey after his last game. John Harris High School was merged with William Penn High School in 1971, becoming Harrisburg High School.
During that season the team became known as the "Cardiac Kids", because of their last-minute comebacks. Jones was also the first African American quarterback to appear on a Sports Illustrated Cover (9/29/1969).
In 1970 he was part of University of Southern California"s "all-black" backfield (the first one of its kind in Division I (National Collegiate Athletic Association) history), that included fullback Sam Cunningham and running back Clarence Davis.
Jones was one of the five University of Southern California African American starters (along with Sam Cunningham, Clarence Davis, Charlie Weaver and Tody Smith), that played against an all-white University of Alabama football team, winning 42-21 in Birmingham on September 12, 1970. This game was historically significant, because it played a key role in convincing the University of Alabama and its fan base to accelerate the integration of its football team Foreign his career he compiled a 22-8-3 record and established school marks at:
Career passing attempts (602)
Career passes completed (382)
Career passing yards (4,902)
Career rushing attempts (842)
Career touchdown passes and rushing (42)
Passing yards in a season (1,877)
Touchdown passes in a season (13)
Most passes attempted in a season
Total yards in a season (1,936)
Most passes attempted in a game (36)
Most passes completed in a game (21)
Montreal Alouettes
In the spring of 1972 he went undrafted after not receiving much interest from NFL teams as a quarterback.
After a year out of football, in 1973 he signed to play in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes.
This would become his finest season with over 2,000 yards passing, 18 touchdown passes, 577 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Jones signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for the 1976 season, and played 3 years there.
Ottawa Rough Riders
In 1979, he signed with the Ottawa Rough Riders. Jones spent his final season as a back-up to Condredge Holloway, seeing limited playing time.
He moved to Canada in 1973, and played for the Montreal Alouettes, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Ottawa Rough Riders, and helped lead the Alouettes to a Grey Cup win in 1974. He won the starter job during his junior year, passing and running for over 2,300 yards and 20 touchdowns, then 2,400 yards with 40 touchdowns in his senior year. As a sophomore in 1969, he helped lead University of Southern California to an undefeated season (10-0-1), a Rose Bowl win over the University of Michigan and a third place ranking. In 1974 he helped his team won the Grey Cup and was named an East All-Star. In 1975 the Alouettes once again reached the Grey Cup final, but this time they lost to the Edmonton Eskimos.
