Jones was in his third Bengals season in 2012, contributing in both the defensive backfield and return game ... Made his mark in the return game as he took game’s opening punt 81 yards for a TD on Sept. 16 vs. Cleveland, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors ... Seventh in NFL in PR average (11.6) ... Saw full action in last seven games of 2011, plus Wild Card playoff, taking over starting RCB spot from injured Leon Hall ... Battled injuries in his first two Bengals seasons, but when healthy has flashed playmaking flair that made him a first-round draft choice (sixth overall) by Tennessee in 2005.
Jones was in his third Bengals season in 2012, contributing in both the defensive backfield and return game ... Made his mark in the return game as he took game’s opening punt 81 yards for a TD on Sept. 16 vs. Cleveland, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors ... Seventh in NFL in PR average (11.6) ... Saw full action in last seven games of 2011, plus Wild Card playoff, taking over starting RCB spot from injured Leon Hall ... Battled injuries in his first two Bengals seasons, but when healthy has flashed playmaking flair that made him a first-round draft choice (sixth overall) by Tennessee in 2005.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Selected by Tennessee in first round of 2005 NFL Draft (sixth overall) ... Signed with Titans on 8-23-05 ... Suspended indefinitely by NFL on 4-10-07 for violation of player conduct policy (remained on suspension through the season) ... Re-signed with Tennessee on 4-26-08, while still on suspension ... Traded to Dallas on 4-27-08 for fourth-round selection in ’08 draft ... Suspension lifted on 8-28-08 ... Suspended by NFL for player conduct violations from 10-14-08 through 12-2-08 ... Waived by Dallas on 2-9-09 ... Signed with Bengals as free agent on 5-10-10 ... Re-signed with Cincinnati as UFA on 3-23-12.
2012 GENERAL: Played in all 16 games and in Wild Card playoff ... Credited with five starts — Game 3 (LCB), Game 4 (RCB) and Games 7, 10 and 14 (nickel DB) ... Totaled 43 tackles, 11 passes defensed (tied for second on team), a sack and a forced fumble ... Had three kickoff returns for 21.3 average.
AFC'S BEST: Jones was named by the NFL as AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance Sept. 16 vs. Cleveland ... Returned three punts for 90 yards (30.0-yard average), including an 81-yarder for a TD — the only non-offensive score for either team in the seven-point 34-27 Bengals win.
2012 GAME-BY-GAME: His 81-yard punt return TD Sept. 16 vs. Cleveland was game’s first score and was the only special teams or defense score in a one-TD win (34-27) ... Six tackles and a pass defensed in start Sept. 23 at Washington. ... On Nov. 11 vs. N.Y. Giants, had a 63-yard punt return to set up a TD and forced a fumble (Bengals recovered) against RB Ahmad Bradshaw in the red zone that halted a Giants scoring threat ... Also vs. Giants, logged team-best three passes defensed ... On Nov. 18 at Kansas City, had a six-yard sack of Brady Quinn that forced a punt ... Led secondary in tackles (seven) Dec. 9 vs. Dallas ... One tackle and two passes defensed (led team) Dec. 13 at Philadelphia, along with two special teams tackles ... Two tackles Dec. 23 at Pittsburgh, and had a third-down pass defensed that forced a punt ... Two tackles and pass defensed Dec. 30 vs. Baltimore, with PD forcing punt that set up offensive possession for go-ahead FG ... One tackle and a third-down pass defensed in Wild Card playoff 1-5-13 at Houston ... Missed final three preseason games due to calf injury.
PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2005—Primary starter for Tennessee at RCB, he led team in passes defensed (12) and logged 53 tackles ... Ranked fourth in NFL in kickoff returns (26.2) and fifth in AFC in punt returns (9.4) ... Named to Pro Football Weekly all-rookie team as punt returner ... Had 85-yard KOR Nov. 20 vs. Jacksonville ... On Dec. 11 vs. Houston, his 52-yard punt return was Tennessee's only TD in 13-10 win, and he was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
2006—Started 15 games for Tennessee ... His four INTs included 83-yard return for TD Dec. 17 vs. Jacksonville, and his NFL-leading 12.9-yard punt return average included three returns for TDs, tying franchise record ... Second on team in passes defensed (14) ... On Oct. 29 vs. Houston, sparked 28-22 win with a 53-yard punt return TD in fourth quarter, and logged his first career INT (off Sage Rosenfels) ... On Nov. 19 at Philadelphia, aided 31-13 win with punt return of 90 yards for TD, a Titans record ... Two INTs off Eli Manning in Nov. 26 comeback vs. N.Y. Giants ... On Dec. 31 vs. New England, had an 81-yard punt return for TD and a 47-yard KOR, and his 259 total kick return yards for the game was the NFL’s season high ... Saw spot duty on offense for Titans, gaining eight yards on two rushing attempts and 17 yards on two receptions ... Did not play Nov. 5 at Jacksonville due to team suspension.
2007—Remained on suspension (violation of player conduct policy) through the season.
2008—Traded to Dallas, and after suspension was lifted, played in nine Cowboys games in regular season (Games 1-6 and 14-16), logging 33 tackles and 13 passes defensed ... Missed Games 7-12 due to suspension by NFL (player conduct violations) ... Inactive for Game 13.
2009—Not with an NFL team.
2010—Played in five Bengals games, but suffered neck injury Oct. 24 at Atlanta and was placed Oct. 26 on Reserve/Injured list ... In limited action for Cincinnati, had an INT, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, with a fumble return for a TD ... Returned an INT 10 yards Sept. 19 vs. Baltimore, carrying Joe Flacco pass to Ravens 35 to set up FG ... On Oct. 24 at Atlanta, stripped ball from WR Roddy White at Bengals 41 and ran 59 yards after recovery for a TD to give Bengals a 25-24 lead in third quarter.
2011—Opened second Bengals season on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, due to rehab from offseason neck surgery ... Made season debut Oct. 30 at Seattle and had 63-yard punt return on his first play, but strained a hamstring, did not return and missed next two games ... For the season, played in eight games, with seven starts at RCB, and also started at RCB in Wild Card playoff ... His 63-yard punt return Oct. 30 at Seattle set up a TD and was longest Bengals punt return since 2003 (Peter Warrick, 68 yards) ... Led secondary with six tackles Nov. 20 at Baltimore, including two TD-saving plays — an open-field tackle on WR Torrey Smith, leading to a Nate Clements INT two plays later, and a tackle of RB Ray Rice after 59-yard gain to Bengals six, after which Bengals forced Ravens to settle for FG ... On Dec. 4 at Pittsburgh, had two tackles, both for losses, and two passes defensed ... Five tackles and a pass defensed in Wild Card playoff 1-7-12 at Houston.
COLLEGE: Played three seasons (2002-04) at West Virginia before declaring for NFL Draft after his junior year ... First-team All-America selection as a junior by College Football News, after leading team in tackles (76) and posting two sacks and three INTs ... Also as a junior, named Big East Special Teams Player of the Year, averaging 14.6 yards with a TD on punt returns and 23.4 yards on kickoff returns ... For his career, played 36 games with 22 starts, with 201 tackles, eight INTs, 30 total passes defensed, two sacks, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
PERSONAL: Hometown is Atlanta, Ga. ... Attended Westlake High School, where as a DB and RB he earned Class 4A all-state honors and was named his conference’s player of the year ... Also earned prep All-America honors in basketball, and ran track ... Special education major at West Virginia, and was a member of Athletic Director’s Academic Honor roll ... Has two daughters, Zaniyah Christine and Trinity Alexandria ... Hobbies include dirt bike riding, listening to music, and his dog, Macho.
