Homer Jones, one of the most exciting and explosive offensive players in the history of the New York Football Giants, has died at the age of 82.
Jones, a flanker out of Texas Southern, was drafted by the Houston Oilers of the AFL in 1963 but a knee injury prevented him from hitting the field and he was cut in training camp. He was signed by the Giants in 1964 and became a star, leading the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 1967, made two Pro Bowls and to this day holds the NFL career record for yards per catch (22.3).
And…he was the first player to spike the football in the end zone after scoring a touchdown.
RIP Homer Jones at age 82. A collegiate sprinter, Jones joined #NYGiants in 1964 & made NFL history in 1965. Not wanting a fine for throwing the ball in the stands, Jones invented the spike on this 89 yard TD vs Eagles. In 1967 Jones led the NFL w/ 13 TDs #TogetherBlue pic.twitter.com/SOcAtVWDNU
— BigBlueVCR (@BigBlueVCR) June 14, 2023
Jones played in 73 games over six seasons for the Giants from 1964-69, amassing 4,845 yards on 214 receptions and scoring 36 touchdowns.
Jones provided many a moment that forced Giant fans to their feet. He could take it to the house at any time and his speed and elusiveness were legendary. He once defeated world-class speedster and Dallas Cowboys superstar Bob Hayes in a foot race.
But he was largely inconsistent and the rebuilding Giants lost patience with him. Jones was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 1970 in a deal that yielded three players, most notably star running back Ron Johnson.
Jones played one year in Cleveland before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he retired before the season due to injuries at age 29.
