After death of son, Dwight Jones completes painful journey back to NFL by signing with Jets
Dwight Jones practiced for the first time Wednesday since joining the Jets. (John O'Boyle/The Star-Ledger)
Dwight Jones said he had a good feeling about Tuesday’s workout with the Jets. His hunch stemmed from a dream his sister had about New York, standing out because Jones, a native of rural Burlington, N.C., had never been to the city.
Once the workout, before Jets’ personnel executives and coaches in the club’s indoor practice facility, had concluded, Jones said he walked into a bathroom, dropped to his knees and thanked God.
By lunchtime Wednesday, the wide receiver had been signed to the practice squad and was suited up in a Jets helmet and white uniform bearing a No. 14 and his last name across the back in green stitching. Judging by his description of lining up against Antonio Cromartie as a member of the scout team and catching passes in drills alongside Santonio Holmes, Jones was as much a fan as a participant Wednesday.
The afternoon marked the first day of Jones’ second stint in the NFL, but also the end of a painful journey that began Sept. 2, 2011, with the birth of his second son. On that night, Deizean Jones was born as his father kicked off his final collegiate season at North Carolina.
Deizean -- the middle child of Jones’ three children -- was born with ailments to his lungs, heart and brain, Jones said, though he did not elaborate further. Doctors immediately identified that those ailments would complicate Deizean’s life, Jones said.
After his final college season, Jones signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted rookie, a promising combination of size (6-3 and 230 pounds), speed (a 4.50 mark in the 40-yard dash) and production (in his senior season, Jones caught 12 touchdowns). Headed into offseason workouts, Jones proclaimed he would try to emulate his new teammate, All-Pro receiver Andre Johnson.
But on May 29, after little more than a month in the NFL, Jones abruptly notified the Texans he was leaving the sport behind.
“I knew that walking away from football at that time was right,” Jones said. “But it was difficult.”
Aside from those close to Jones, few understood why he walked away from the opportunity to make an NFL roster. Online reports ridiculed Jones, labeling him a “quitter.”
“A lot of people thought I just quit football,” Jones said. “My son was born real sick.”
He added, “I wasn’t even mentally prepared to play football.”
Jones returned to Burlington to be with his son, who died July 6, 2013, due to those medical complications.
“He didn’t even make it to his second birthday,” Jones said.
Caring for his son, Jones said football was no longer a significant part of his life. The 2012 season came and went. After Deizean’s death, Jones said he wasn’t intent on returning to the game.
“I missed football, but I wasn’t trying to get back into football,” Jones said. “I thought God had something else in for me.”
Late this summer, though, he began fielding calls from former coaches, agents and representatives from teams. He went to Montreal with the urging of a friend, hoping for a path to the NFL via the Canadian Football League. The Texans still held his rights, Jones learned, and so he couldn’t practice or play in Canada. Once he secured a release from the Texans, Jones began a series of workouts for NFL teams.
Finally, on Tuesday, Jones made it to Florham Park. Strengthened and humbled by the memory of his son, Jones said he performed his best workout since returning to football.
“Even though I am on the practice squad, I don’t care,” Jones said. “I’m on a football team, the New York Jets.”
Once the workout, before Jets’ personnel executives and coaches in the club’s indoor practice facility, had concluded, Jones said he walked into a bathroom, dropped to his knees and thanked God.
By lunchtime Wednesday, the wide receiver had been signed to the practice squad and was suited up in a Jets helmet and white uniform bearing a No. 14 and his last name across the back in green stitching. Judging by his description of lining up against Antonio Cromartie as a member of the scout team and catching passes in drills alongside Santonio Holmes, Jones was as much a fan as a participant Wednesday.
The afternoon marked the first day of Jones’ second stint in the NFL, but also the end of a painful journey that began Sept. 2, 2011, with the birth of his second son. On that night, Deizean Jones was born as his father kicked off his final collegiate season at North Carolina.
Deizean -- the middle child of Jones’ three children -- was born with ailments to his lungs, heart and brain, Jones said, though he did not elaborate further. Doctors immediately identified that those ailments would complicate Deizean’s life, Jones said.
After his final college season, Jones signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted rookie, a promising combination of size (6-3 and 230 pounds), speed (a 4.50 mark in the 40-yard dash) and production (in his senior season, Jones caught 12 touchdowns). Headed into offseason workouts, Jones proclaimed he would try to emulate his new teammate, All-Pro receiver Andre Johnson.
But on May 29, after little more than a month in the NFL, Jones abruptly notified the Texans he was leaving the sport behind.
“I knew that walking away from football at that time was right,” Jones said. “But it was difficult.”
Aside from those close to Jones, few understood why he walked away from the opportunity to make an NFL roster. Online reports ridiculed Jones, labeling him a “quitter.”
“A lot of people thought I just quit football,” Jones said. “My son was born real sick.”
He added, “I wasn’t even mentally prepared to play football.”
Jones returned to Burlington to be with his son, who died July 6, 2013, due to those medical complications.
“He didn’t even make it to his second birthday,” Jones said.
Caring for his son, Jones said football was no longer a significant part of his life. The 2012 season came and went. After Deizean’s death, Jones said he wasn’t intent on returning to the game.
“I missed football, but I wasn’t trying to get back into football,” Jones said. “I thought God had something else in for me.”
Late this summer, though, he began fielding calls from former coaches, agents and representatives from teams. He went to Montreal with the urging of a friend, hoping for a path to the NFL via the Canadian Football League. The Texans still held his rights, Jones learned, and so he couldn’t practice or play in Canada. Once he secured a release from the Texans, Jones began a series of workouts for NFL teams.
Finally, on Tuesday, Jones made it to Florham Park. Strengthened and humbled by the memory of his son, Jones said he performed his best workout since returning to football.
“Even though I am on the practice squad, I don’t care,” Jones said. “I’m on a football team, the New York Jets.”
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