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Arthur Jones, Super Bowl Champion and Brother of Jon Jones, Dies at 39
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The sporting world is mourning the loss of Arthur Jones, a former Super Bowl-winning defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens, who passed away friday at the age of 39. jones’ death, stemming from a pre-existing heart condition and a malfunction with his pacemaker, marks a tragic loss for the football community and leaves behind a legacy intertwined with that of his younger brother, UFC legend jon Jones.
From Football Field to MMA Potential
Jones enjoyed a prosperous seven-year NFL career, culminating in a Super Bowl XLVII victory with the Ravens in 2013. Though, his athletic pursuits extended beyond the gridiron.A highly accomplished wrestler in his youth, Jones nearly transitioned to mixed martial arts during the 2011 NFL lockout.
The lockout,triggered by a failure to reach a new collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the players’ union,effectively halted team activities and player payments. Unable to train with his baltimore teammates, Jones seriously contemplated a career in the UFC. “I love MMA,” Jones told the Indianapolis Star in 2014. “it’s fun to watch, and it’s somthing I entertained early in my football career, if football didn’t work out, of me fighting in the UFC. But things are going well for me right now, so I’m going to stick with my career.” He was reportedly close to securing a fight before the lockout concluded in July 2011.
A Wrestling Foundation and Offseason Training
Jones’ foundation in combat sports was built on a stellar wrestling career. He was a two-time New York state wrestling heavyweight champion and honed his skills alongside his brother Jon at the renowned Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA gym in Albuquerque, new Mexico, during the NFL offseason. “I was a really good wrestler, so that was my base, but I do a lot of boxing in my off-season training,” Jones explained. “I train at Greg Jackson’s pretty much every offseason. I love it. It keeps my mind fresh…and it keeps me active in different ways so I don’t get bored doing the same thing with football.”
The Influence of an Older Brother
Jon Jones, widely considered one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, has often credited his older brother with shaping his competitive spirit. In a 2017 interview with Bleacher Report, Jon jones described Arthur as a “freak athlete” who pushed him to become tougher. “So,yeah,I pretty much grew up getting my ass kicked by a really special talent,” Jon said. “Sometimes we’d just slap each other, and a fight would break out. That’s what brothers do. That’s what makes us all great competitors: We never back down from anything.”
Despite both being accomplished high school wrestlers, Arthur acknowledged Jon’s superior talent.”I must confess here: I had the much easier route wrestling at 275,” Arthur stated, referring to the weight classes. “Jon had all the studs in his weight class, wrestling 195. His competition was a lot stiffer then mine.”
Sudden Passing and family Grief
Emergency Medical Services responded to a call at jones’ home in Syracuse, New York, on Friday morning. According to reports from News Channel 9’s Steve infanti, Jones’ pacemaker activated, automatically alerting his physician. He had been living with a pre-existing heart
