Former Houston Texans Star WR Receives Hall of Fame Nod, Head Coaching Gig in NAL

Former Houston Texans Star WR Receives Hall of Fame Nod, Head Coaching Gig in NAL

Oct 17, 2010; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) in action against the Kansas City Chiefs in the third quarter at Reliant Stadium. The Texans defeated the Chiefs 35-31. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Jacoby Jones was a fixture amongst the Houston Texans franchise from 2007-2011 before going on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, where he became the first player in NFL history to score a receiving touchdown and return touchdown in the same championship game during Super Bowl XLVII. His 108-yard touchdown return remains the longest play in Super Bowl or postseason history.

During his tenure with the Texans, Jones amassed 127 catches for 2,733 yards and 14 touchdowns and returned kicks and punts for a total of four touchdowns. He wasn't by any means your superstar wideout, but he was a game-changer in every facet of the game and beloved by the franchise.

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Before arriving in Houston as a third-round draft pick, Jones was a standout for Lane College — a private Historically Black College and University (HBCU) of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference located in the hills of Jackson, Tennessee. Jacoby was an All-SIAC player as a wide receiver and return specialist over his four-year career with Lane.

The accomplishments and contributions that Jones made during his time at Lane and the SIAC have earned him the honor of being inducted into the 2024 SIAC Hall of Fame class on July 10 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The exclusive honor is very distinguished as Jones, along with seven others, will join the 161 other SIAC members in the Hall of Fame of collegiate football.

Per SIAC Commissioner Dr. Anthony Holloman, “It’s with great enthusiasm that we welcome the 2024 SIAC Hall of Fame Class. These individuals have distinguished themselves and left an indelible legacy of achievement in our conference.”

Being inducted into such an illustrious fraternity of football players is not the only gratifying news for Jones. He was just announced as the head coach of the Beaumont Renegades, an expansion organization of the National Arena League (NAL), where he will also be in charge of offensive coordinator duties.

Per the press release from the Beaumont Renegades and provided by Michael Misetic of OVERTIME PR, Jones is ecstatic about this new opportunity ahead of him.

“I appreciate the opportunity and the trust in me from the owners,” Jones said. “I’m excited about showing the fans in Beaumont a whole different kind of fun in football. We want the fans to have fun and I am going to make sure I do everything I can as head coach and offensive coordinator to make that happen.”

As an established receiver and return specialist, Jones' knowledge of the game and experience will go a long way in making sure that the new NAL team prospers under his tutelage. Jones also has experience playing in the NAL, having ended his professional football career playing for the Monterrey Steel after a short stint split between the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015.

Jones will be entering into a franchise that also has NFL and Super Bowl experience at the ownership level as former New England Patriots defensive end and Super Bowl champion Deatrich Wise Jr. owns a portion of the team.

“During his playing career, Jacoby lit the field on fire with his breathtaking kick returns in big moments,” said Wise. “As a coach, he’ll no doubt bring that same level of excitement to Beaumont and help our players try and do the same.”

The Renegades are expected to officially join the NAL for the 2025 spring season.

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