Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1411895
50 SEPT. 25, 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED IRISH IN THE PROS BY TODD D. BURLAGE B e it as an NFL player the last two seasons or during his four years as a Notre Dame tailback from 2016‑19, the football career for Tony Jones Jr. has never quite stayed on the fast track to success. Never deterred, Jones has stayed true to his conviction and self‑confidence as a second‑year player with the New Orleans Saints — in the same way he did at Notre Dame — and kept working, be‑ lieving and knowing that his time would come, and it may have. After going undrafted out of Notre Dame in 2020, Jones received some well‑deserved news in August when he was promoted from the Saints practice squad to its final 53‑man roster in what appears to be a secure spot as the team's No. 2 running back in 2021, behind four‑ time Pro Bowl standout Alvin Kamara. Jones' explosive work this NFL pre‑ season, paired with some New Orleans salary cap concerns, led to the parting of ways with Kamara's presumed 2021 backup, Latavius Murray. Fansided.com journalist Kristen Wong summed up Jones' unexpected depth chart jump like this: "Murray will be missed, but his successor, the young and undrafted Tony Jones Jr., is the cheaper but better value option the Saints need in 2021," she wrote. "… Ka‑ mara could get even more touches than before after Murray's release, but New Orleans has liked what they've seen from Jones so far. Who's to say [Jones] won't develop into an even better RB than Murray?" Ironically, Jones' ascent from un‑ drafted afterthought to vital NFL backup mirrors the same course he took at Notre Dame while biding his time as an understudy behind Tarean Folston, Josh Adams and Dexter Williams before finally becoming the feature back. After serving three seasons as the Irish backfield bridesmaid, Jones earned the starting spot as a senior in 2019 and rushed for 857 yards and 6.0 yards a carry with seven total touchdowns, not exactly memorable production numbers but solid work during an 11‑2 season. Refusing to use the word "frustrated" while dutifully waiting for his name to be called at Notre Dame, Jones did ad‑ mit to feeling impatient at times. "I know my potential," he told Blue & Gold Illustrated in 2019. "But I also knew that the guys in front of me were really good, they were great leaders and they were great players. I just always had to be ready when my number was called." Perseverance, Self-Belief And Hard Work Have Tony Jones Jr. Realizing His NFL Dreams Jones carried the ball 11 times for 50 yards to help the New Orleans Saints to a 38-3 win over Green Bay in their season opener. Last season, he only played five snaps, rushing three times for 13 yards. PHOTO COURTESY NEW ORLEANS SAINTS