| No. 4 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | August 3, 1979 Eaton, Ohio, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Eaton (OH) | ||||||||||
| College: | Indiana | ||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2003 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| As a player: | |||||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||
| As a coach: | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career CFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Thomas Jones (born August 3, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback.
After a standout prep career at Eaton High School where he played football, basketball and baseball, Jones continued his football career at Indiana University. After taking a red-shirt his freshman year, Jones split first team practice reps with Antwaan Randle El. Head Coach Cam Cameron ultimately decided on Randle-El, and Jones appeared in just 3 games as a red-shirt freshman. During his sophomore season, there was once again training camp talk of Jones starting over Randle-El, and once again Jones was named the backup, playing 6 games. His junior season, he was named the starting quarterback and Randle-El moved to wide receiver. Jones completed 18 of 31 passes and had one touchdown, but was benched the following week as the offense didn't take off as well had Cameron had hoped. Jones was then injured during week 4 and didn't play in a game the rest of the season. During his senior season, the Hoosiers were under new head coach Gerry DiNardo, and Jones was named the starter out of fall camp. Jones started the first 7 games of the season, throwing for 879 yards with 9 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He was then benched in favor of Gibran Hamdan.
After going undrafted in the 2003 NFL draft, Jones was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals and participated in mini-camp and training camp before being released. He then signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, where he started 6 games, throwing for 1,168 yards with 7 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
Following his release from the Stampeders, Jones turned to the Arena Football League, catching on with the Nashville Kats and the Columbus Destroyers, but never seeing the field for either team.
Jones then turned his attention to indoor football, signing with the Odessa Roughnecks of the Intense Football League. Jones shined in his first season of indoor football, throwing 100 touchdown passes and leading the Roughnecks to a 97–56 victory in Intense Bowl II. The following year, Jones signed with the Mississippi MudCats of the American Indoor Football Association. Jones again threw over 100 touchdowns, while also being named to the All-Star team. In 2009, Jones signed with the El Paso Generals, throwing for 66 touchdowns and 3,158 yards. In 2010, Jones returned to the Roughnecks, as they were now member of the Indoor Football League. In 2011, Jones signed with the Saginaw Sting, where he would lead the Sting to an Ultimate Bowl Championship, while winning Offensive Player of the Year honors as well as Ultimate Bowl I MVP. Jones re-signed with the Sting in 2012, as they transitioned into the Continental Indoor Football League. The Sting went undefeated, winning the 2012 CIFL Championship Game over the Dayton Silverbacks. Jones won the CIFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Awards. In, 2013 Jones signed with the expansion Dayton Sharks, where he was named their starting quarterback and offensive coordinator.