Chris Jones (punter)

Chris Jones (born July 21, 1989) is an American football punter for the Dallas Cowboys. Jones played his college football at Carson-Newman College.^[1]

Early years

Jones attended Coosa High School where he was an All-Area punter. He accepted a scholarship from Carson-Newman College where he was a four-time starter and All-SAC performer. As a freshman in college he led the SAC with a 41.4 average per punt. As a senior he was second in the league with a 42.1 yards average. For his career he averaged 40.3 yards per punt, registered 46 punts inside the 20-yard-line, 20 punts of at least 50 yards and his longest punt was 73 yards.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Jones was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cowboys in 2011 and was released before the season started. He was signed to the team's practice squad and filled in for an injured Mat McBriar in two games, recording a 42.6-yard gross average.^[2]

In 2012, the Cowboys showed faith in his potential by not resigning McBriar, who was arguably the best punter in franchise history. He entered the season as the starter, but suffered a left knee injury on September 23 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when he nearly had a punt blocked. On October 14 playing against the Baltimore Ravens, although he was still rehabbing the injury, he was forced to punt with a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament.^[3] He was placed on the injured reserve list on October 24.^[4]

On August 24, 2013, during a preseason game, he was the second player (first Cowboys player) to hit the Cowboys Stadium high definition "jumbotron" scoreboard.^[5] In 2013, he regained his starting job and in his first full season finished with a 45-yard gross average, a 39.1-yard net average and 21 punts inside the 20-yard-line.

On March 10, 2014, he signed his exclusive rights tender of $645,000 with the Cowboys.^[6]

References

External links

• Dallas Cowboys bio
• Punter Jones Right At Home Being Under the Radar
• Carson-Newman bio

'Bold text