Christion Jones
{{Short description|American football player (born 1992)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Christion Jones
| image =
| caption =
| current_team =
| number =
| position = Kick returner/Running back
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|12|20|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Adamsville, Alabama, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lbs = 190
| high_school = Minor
| college = Alabama
| undraftedyear = 2015
| pastteams =
- Miami Dolphins ({{NFL Year|2015}}–{{NFL Year|2016}})*
- Toronto Argonauts ({{CFL Year|2016}})*
- Saskatchewan Roughriders ({{CFL Year|2017}}–{{CFL Year|2019}})
- Edmonton Eskimos ({{CFL Year|2019}})
| highlights =
- 2× BCS national champion (2012, 2013)
- SEC Special Teams Player of the Year (2013)
- First-team All-SEC (2013)
| status =
| cflstatus = International
| cfl = christion-jones/162026/
}}
Christion Jones (born December 20, 1992) is an American former professional football player who was a kick returner and running back in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, and professionally for the CFL
College career
Jones committed to Alabama on September 30, 2010.{{cite news|url=https://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/09/minor_db_christion_jones_commi.html|title=Minor DB Christion Jones commits to Alabama|work=AL.com|access-date=July 10, 2018|language=en-US}} Jones earned the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year award in 2013. During his four years in Alabama, Jones had 85 receptions for 1,030 yards including seven touchdowns. Jones also returned 66 punts for 719 yards including three touchdowns and returned 68 kickoffs for 1,727 yards and two touchdowns.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/christion-jones-1.html|title=Christion Jones College Stats {{!}} College Football at Sports-Reference.com|website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com|language=en|access-date=July 10, 2018}}
Professional career
=Miami Dolphins=
Jones went undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft. Shortly after, he signed as a free agent with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.{{cite news|url=https://247sports.com/college/alabama/Bolt/Christion-Jones-signs-as-free-agent-with-Dolphins-37090960/|title=Christion Jones signs as free agent with Dolphins|work=BamaOnLine|access-date=July 10, 2018|language=en-US}}{{dead link|date=April 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Dealing with a hamstring issue during training camp, Jones was waived on September 5, 2015. He was released with an injury settlement on September 9. On March 2, 2016, Jones was once again signed by the Dolphins but was later released on May 2, 2016.{{cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article63597892.html|title=Receiver Christion Jones again signs with Miami Dolphins|work=miamiherald|access-date=July 10, 2018|language=en}}
=Toronto Argonauts=
On May 17, 2016, Jones signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.{{cite news|url=https://www.argonauts.ca/2016/05/16/argos-sign-trio-receivers/|title=Argos Sign Trio of Receivers – Toronto Argonauts|date=May 16, 2016|work=Toronto Argonauts|access-date=July 10, 2018|language=en-US}} Jones was later released on June 15, 2016.{{cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/argos-release-veterans-chad-kackert-adrian-mcpherson-1.2947043|title=Argos release veterans Chad Kackert, Adrian McPherson|date=June 15, 2016|work=CTVNews|access-date=July 10, 2018|language=en-CA}}
=Saskatchewan Roughriders=
After more than a year out of football, Jones signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League on July 17, 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/05/christion_jones_joins_canadian.html|title=Christion Jones joins Canadian Football League team|work=AL.com|access-date=July 10, 2018|language=en-US}} Jones made his regular season professional football debut on August 13, 2017 versus the BC Lions. He scored his first touchdown on September 29 when he returned a 97-yard punt for a touchdown against the Ottawa Redblacks.{{cite news|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2017/09/29/christion-jones-finds-a-seam-and-blows-past-redblacks-for-return-td/|title=Christion Jones Finds A Seam And Blows Past REDBLACKS for Return TD – CFL.ca|work=CFL.ca|access-date=July 10, 2018|language=en-US}} He played in ten games that season, returning 45 punts for 645 yards and two touchdowns,{{cite news|url=https://www.cfl.ca/players/christion-jones/162026/|title=Christion Jones – CFL.ca|work=CFL.ca|access-date=July 10, 2018|language=en-US}} as well as 18 kickoffs for 423 yards. He made his biggest impression against the Toronto Argonauts in the 2017 CFL East Final, when he returned a 79-yard punt for a touchdown to put the Roughriders up late in the game{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/cody-fajardos-late-touchdown-run-earns-argos-east-final-win-over-riders/article37025199/|title=Argonauts win CFL East final, to face Stampeders in Grey Cup|access-date=July 10, 2018}} in a losing cause. Jones was named the team's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player for 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/11/christion_jones_nominated_for.html|title=Christion Jones nominated for CFL Special Teams Player of the Year Award|work=AL.com|access-date=July 10, 2018|language=en-US}}
On December 27, 2017, Jones signed an extension with the Roughriders that would keep him on the team through the 2019 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.riderville.com/2017/12/27/christion-jones-signs-extension/|title=Christion Jones Signs Extension – Saskatchewan Roughriders|date=December 27, 2017|work=Saskatchewan Roughriders|access-date=July 10, 2018|language=en-US}}
=Edmonton Eskimos=
Jones was traded to the Edmonton Eskimos on August 5, 2019 in exchange for wide receiver Kenny Stafford. Playing in 10 games, Jones caught 7 passes for 43 yards, and had a combined 1,420 return yards, and was extended for the 2020 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2020/01/27/esks-sign-christion-jones-extension/|title=Esks sign Christion Jones to extension|date=January 27, 2020}} On June 27, 2020 on the day of Global Pride, Jones made a now deleted post expressing homophobia on Twitter, and extensively defended the original post throughout the day.{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/sports/2020/06/edmonton-eskimos-release-christion-jones-over-homophobic-tweet.html|title=CFL team releases Christion Jones over tweet|date=June 28, 2020|website=al}} Jones was released by the Eskimos the next day; he apologized 8 minutes prior to his release being made public.{{cite web |last=Omstead |first=Jordan |date=June 28, 2020 |title=Edmonton Eskimos release player for posting homophobic tweet {{!}} CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-football-homophobic-tweet-1.5630546 |access-date=April 23, 2024 |website=cbc.ca}} The CFL added a statement concurrent with the release of Jones, expressing support for the LGBTQ+ community.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2020/06/28/christion-jones-released-esks/|title=Christion Jones released by Esks|date=June 28, 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{2012 Alabama Crimson Tide football navbox}}
{{2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football navbox}}
{{Southeastern Conference Football Player of the Year navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Christion}}
Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football players
Category:American football running backs
Category:Canadian football running backs
Category:People from Adamsville, Alabama
Category:Players of American football from Jefferson County, Alabama
Category:Miami Dolphins players
Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players
Category:Toronto Argonauts players
Category:Canadian football return specialists
Category:Edmonton Elks players