David “Deacon” Jones, Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end, has passed away at age 74. The news surfaced late Monday night via the Redskins official Twitter account. Jones, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, died of natural causes at his home in Southern California. The legendary athlete will be remembered as one of the most impressive defensive ends in NFL history.
Jones is credited as the originator of the term “sack.” The Sackmaster, as he was nicknamed, famously knocked down quarterbacks a left end for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and the Washington Redskins. Coach George Allen saluted Jones by lauding him as the “greatest defensive end of modern football.”
Not only did Jones leave his mark on the football field, he also did so the entertainment industry. As a radio and television personality, Deacon’s humor and charisma led him to appearances on the shows Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, and The Odd Couple, and also in the film Heaven Can Wait.
Jones even launched his own charity, which led him to visit troops stationed in the Middle East on various occasions. The notable football star also dabbled with music as a member of the band War. Although Deacon Jones will primarily be remembered for his triumphs on the football field, his legacy clearly extends into many other terrains.
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