The Passing of a Legend

[Carolina_Packer]

RIP, David Deacon Jones who passed yesterday at age 74. Part of the LA Rams "Fearsome Foursome" leaving Rosey Grier as the only living member of that front four.

From Wikipedia...

Jones was considered by many to revolutionize the position of defensive end. Jones was credited with coining the phrase "sacking the quarterback".[7] What separated Jones from every other defensive end was his blinding speed and his ability to make tackles from sideline to sideline, which was unheard of in his time. He also was the first pass rusher to utilize the head slap, a move that he said was "...to give myself an initial headstart on the pass rush, in other words a extra step. Because anytime you go upside a man's head ... or a woman; they may have a tendency to blink they eyes or close they eyes. And that's all I needed. [sic]"[8]

Pro Football Weekly reported he accumulated 194½ sacks over his career, which would be third on the all-time sack list. (Jones would have ranked first all-time at the time of his retirement, and since has been surpassed by two fellow Hall of Famer's Bruce Smith and Reggie White.) [9]

In 1967, Jones had 26 sacks in only 14 games, which (if official) would be the single season record. (The term "sack" had not yet been coined at the time, and official sack statistics were not recorded by the NFL until 1982.) Then in 1968 Jones had 24 sacks in 14 games, also more than the current NFL record.[10] The sum total of these two seasons would give him 50 sacks in 2 seasons, far more than anyone else has achieved.

Unofficial Annual Sack Totals
Year Sacks Team
1961 8 Los Angeles Rams
1962 12 Los Angeles Rams
1963 20 Los Angeles Rams
1964 22 Los Angeles Rams
1965 19 Los Angeles Rams
1966 18 Los Angeles Rams
1967 26 Los Angeles Rams
1968 24 Los Angeles Rams
1969 15 Los Angeles Rams
1970 12 Los Angeles Rams
1971 4½ Los Angeles Rams
1972 6 San Diego Chargers
1973 5 San Diego Chargers
1974 3 Washington Redskins

I am not old enough to remember watching him on TV. If any forum member here has recollections of watching him during his career, was he as dominant as he looked on some of the highlight films?

[mraynrand]

"How about THAT, Oscar?"



"You want a minister to do a shaving cream commercial?"

[RashanGary]

189 to Deacon Jones. Nice. That follows Reggie and Bruce Smith. Bruce Smith has 2 more, but Reggie was out of football for two years before he came back for his last year. He surely would have had more. Plus, Reggie was a 300lb plus guy. Bruce Smith was that standard 265 pass rusher.

And I don't even mean to diminish Smith. He's one of the greatest of all time. I just think Reggie was a one of a kind player. . . Jim Thorpeish.

[RashanGary]

This should really be about Deacon, but I was looking up current pass rushers after reading about Deacon. Jared Allen, IMO, is one of todays most underrated players. He's 2 years younger than Peppers and has something like 10 more career sacks. I think he's a tougher run block too.

[pbmax]

Didn't see Deacon play. Loved his attitude and the blue and white Rams unis.

[Patler]

189 to Deacon Jones. Nice. That follows Reggie and Bruce Smith. Bruce Smith has 2 more, but Reggie was out of football for two years before he came back for his last year. He surely would have had more. Plus, Reggie was a 300lb plus guy. Bruce Smith was that standard 265 pass rusher.

And I don't even mean to diminish Smith. He's one of the greatest of all time. I just think Reggie was a one of a kind player. . . Jim Thorpeish.

Remember, too, that Deacon Jones played only 14 games each season. Over his 14 year career, 28 more games could have added another 20-35 sacks.

[RashanGary]

Didn't think about the 14 game season. I think I'd give him the production nod over Reggie and Smith, just cuz. Sure he could have been injured had he played more games, but I'd give him an edge still.

Never got to see Deacon Jones either. Saw a few clips. They all seemed slower off the snap than they do now. Just off the few clips, if I had to compare his game to someone, I'd say Julius Peppers. His burst didn't impress me in the clips I saw (maybe they were clips later in his career, I don't know.) He seemed like a ruthless competitor though. Just the couple plays I saw, his edge showed up. One play, he tripped a guy. I'm pretty sure it's illegal now (might have been then) but I like that he didn't want that fucker to get away. Sometimes guys are so focused on technique, they forget to make a play. I call it savvy, natural, whatever. . . He just sort of found a way, and I like to see that. Woodson did a lot of that type of thing here. Matthews, Bishop and Collins too. I like defenders who just sort of find a way. Tackling isn't always an exact science. If it doesn't line-up right, you have to trip the guy up or punch him in the throat or something. Get him down.

[Smidgeon]

189 to Deacon Jones. Nice. That follows Reggie and Bruce Smith. Bruce Smith has 2 more, but Reggie was out of football for two years before he came back for his last year. He surely would have had more. Plus, Reggie was a 300lb plus guy. Bruce Smith was that standard 265 pass rusher.

And I don't even mean to diminish Smith. He's one of the greatest of all time. I just think Reggie was a one of a kind player. . . Jim Thorpeish.

Bruce Smith played five years longer than White in the NFL (if I remember correctly). But the big nod in Reggie's favor is that his first two years were in the USFL and his stats didn't credit towards the NFL.

[pbmax]

Remember, too, that Deacon Jones played only 14 games each season. Over his 14 year career, 28 more games could have added another 20-35 sacks.

Think there is any chance that factor is overblown and the player actually just peters out faster? Or is it just youth?

[smuggler]

Deacon Jones was a monster, but you have to also consider that his head-slap move gave him an advantage over more modern players.

[Patler]

Think there is any chance that factor is overblown and the player actually just peters out faster? Or is it just youth?

Do you mean current players retire after few seasons? Each has only so many games in them, not seasons? Kind of like RBs and carries?

Maybe. Don't know, but back in those days the roster sizes were much smaller. His first few years it was 36, thereafter 40. There weren't rotations in the D-line. Starters basically played the entire game. so, who knows?

Lot few pass plays back then, generally fewer than 20/game; so a lot fewer sack opportunities.
But, O-line had to keep their hands clenched and against their chests, so maybe easier to get a sack on any specific play.

[pbmax]

Do you mean current players retire after few seasons? Each has only so many games in them, not seasons? Kind of like RBs and carries?

Maybe. Don't know, but back in those days the roster sizes were much smaller. His first few years it was 36, thereafter 40. There weren't rotations in the D-line. Starters basically played the entire game. so, who knows?

Lot few pass plays back then, generally fewer than 20/game; so a lot fewer sack opportunities.
But, O-line had to keep their hands clenched and against their chests, so maybe easier to get a sack on any specific play.

Yes, forgot about pass blocking rules. I was thinking the longer season would produce larger stats in a players early years, but perhaps wear and tear of age (and injuries) would appear sooner. He would not have access to better medical care. Its probably a partial cause, being very dependent on specific cases.

[red]

how many sacks would he have in todays NFL when he couldn't use the head slap to stun his blockers?

honestly, the guy is probably responsible for a good chunk of the old players who are currently suing the NFL because they can't remember their names

[RashanGary]

how many sacks would he have in todays NFL when he couldn't use the head slap to stun his blockers?

honestly, the guy is probably responsible for a good chunk of the old players who are currently suing the NFL because they can't remember their names

Yeah. He didn't seem as athletic as todays players. And I don't say that about everyone. I watched a LB, named Robertson from the 70's play, and he impressed me a lot. Reminded me of todays best, a young Urlacher maybe.

[Guiness]

Yeah. He didn't seem as athletic as todays players. And I don't say that about everyone. I watched a LB, named Robertson from the 70's play, and he impressed me a lot. Reminded me of todays best, a young Urlacher maybe.

He dominated an era. You can have this conversation ad nauseum about any player. As Pbmax and Palter pointed out, rules have changed, size of players, medical care, etc. His accomplishments stand out among his peers, which is the only way you can consider him.