Former New York Giants huge receiver Homer Jones, the primary participant to spike the soccer nearest a landing, died Wednesday nearest a combat with lung most cancers. He used to be 82.
His loss of life used to be showed through his daughter, Lacarroll Jones Nickelberry, to KLTV in Pittsburg, Texas, the place he used to be born and used to be dwelling on the moment of his loss of life. KLTV reported that Jones is survived through six kids.
The weighty play games wideout remains to be the NFL’s all-time chief with a occupation moderate of twenty-two.3 yards in line with catch.
Jones stuck 224 passes for 4,986 yards and 36 touchdowns in 87 video games (59 begins) with the Giants (1964-69) and Cleveland Browns (1970).
“Homer Jones had a unique combination of speed and power and was a threat to score whenever he touched the ball,” said John Mara, the Giants’ president and prominent government officer. “… I remember him as an easygoing, friendly individual who was well liked by his teammates and coaches.”
He first spiked the soccer nearest an 89-yard landing catch in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 17, 1965, for his first occupation ranking.
“I had always said that when I made my first touchdown, I was gonna throw the ball in the stands,” Jones nearest recalled. “They changed the rules in the offseason to I think a $500 fine for throwing the ball into the stands. And as I crossed the goal line my intention had always been to throw that ball into the stands, but I thought about that $500 and I threw it on the ground. So that was the original spike right there.”
Jones led the league with 13 landing catches in 1967 to earn the primary of 2 directly Professional Bowl choices.
With Cleveland on Sept. 21, 1970, he returned a kickoff 94 yards for a landing in opposition to the New York Jets at the debut of “Monday Night Football.”
Reuters contributed to this record.
