As surprising as it may seem, it has been over a decade since the Baltimore Ravens clinched their second championship in franchise history by winning Super Bowl XLVII.
For Ravens fans and one of the game’s heroes, the memories of that victory remain vivid. Jacoby Jones made two monumental plays in that game—a 56-yard touchdown catch from Joe Flacco and a 108-yard kickoff return touchdown to start the second half. However, his most cherished memory is the moment the game clock hit zero.
“I just fell to my knees,” Jones recalled in an exclusive interview with Raven Country.
Jones was a Raven for just three years (2012-2014), but his legacy with the team is indelible. Beyond his Super Bowl heroics, he made a critical 70-yard touchdown reception in the Divisional Round against Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos. He still holds the franchise records for kick return touchdowns (four) and the longest kick return (108 yards, achieved three times).
Since retiring from football in 2017, after signing a one-day contract with the Ravens, Jones has embarked on a varied coaching career. He started as a receivers coach at Lane College, his alma mater, then held the same position at Calvert Hall College High School in Maryland, served as a tight ends coach at Morgan State, and most recently, was a receivers coach at Alabama State.
Jones is now preparing for a thrilling new chapter: becoming the inaugural head coach of the Beaumont Renegades, a National Arena League expansion team set to debut in 2025. This opportunity came as a surprise to Jones.
“I was overwhelmed,” he said. “When I got the phone call, we talked, and I accepted it. They called me like, ‘Hey, your show.’ I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll take it,’ then I said, ‘Let me call you all back.’ Had to look myself in the mirror and say, ‘Hey, you got some weight on your shoulders.'”
Additionally, Jones received another honor: being inducted into the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Hall of Fame’s 2024 class. He learned this news firsthand from Dallas Cowboys legend Ed “Too Tall” Jones and SIAC commissioner Anthony Holloman, and he was almost in disbelief. Jones will join an esteemed group of inductees, including Deacon Jones, Bob Hayes, and Shannon Sharpe.
“Too Tall was down there speaking, and our commissioner was there, and he looked at me and said, ‘Oh, you’re going in, it’s about that time.’ I was like, ‘In what? I’m already in the Lane College Hall of Fame, I’m already in my high school hall of fame.’ He was like, ‘Nah, you’re going in the SIAC.’ I was like, ‘What?!'”
Jones continues to make significant strides in the sports world, albeit in a different role. Ravens fans in Texas might find catching a Renegades game a perfect way to support and celebrate a franchise legend.
