Now signed through 2013, then restricted free agent Jacoby Jones of the Houston Texans joined our “Need For Speed” series to discuss his running at the 104th Millrose Games in Madison Square Garden in New York as well as Texans football.
“I’d put up 6.5 … easy! I wanted to get in the race with the other guy,” said the 2011 Super 60m Champion at the 104th running of New York City’s Millrose Games. Jacoby Jones won the event readily in a time of 7.0 seconds flat celebrating across the finish line. “I told them I was going to beat them five yards, so when I got in front, I put the finger up to let them know I was five yards in front of them already,” said Jones.
A dual sport athlete in college, Jones also ran track while in attendance at South East Louisiana and then Lane College. “Training?” Jones questions when asked about his preparation for the event, “Do a dog stretch before he chase a car?” jokes Jones who explains, “They asked me to come run. I jumped on a plane and was ready to roll.” And roll he did, right into a sprint title, “I was honored to be there. It was fun to be part of that history. I’ll be back there next year, if we’re not headed for the Super Bowl next year,” quickly states Jones.
Making the playoffs is a feat yet to be accomplished by the Houston Texans franchise.
“It’s not just about making the playoffs,” details Jones, “It’s more than that. It’s that Lombardi trophy, everybody play for that ring so … expect a team that’s hungry and looking forward to moving on from the past and looking forward to getting better every day.”
And if competition brings the best out of you then, the Texans need look know further than the rival Tennessee Titans, formerly the Houston Oilers before the team relocated to Nashville. “We real cool off the field but it’s competitive, those guys come to play everyday,” say Jones of Chris Johnson, Nate Washington and at the time Vince Young, who understands “It’s tough. They are a real physical team, a physical defense; so you got to play with your mouth piece and your chin strap up.”
After a disappointing 2010 season filled with heartbreaking losses the wide-out reveals,
“One thing we preach in the Houston Texans locker room is ‘nobody quits’. When we start something we are going finish it,” demonstratively states the fifth year wide receiver who registered 51 receptions for 562-yards while scoring 3 touchdowns last season. “We are going to play all four quarters no matter what. No matter what the outcome is, we are going to fight to the end.”
One of those defeats that came right down to end on the December 13th installment of Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens saw Jones score on a 7-yard
touchdown pass from Matt Schaub. “My man caught him, that cover two, he gave him a pump and the corner bit, Schaub found me,” said Jones who explains, “That’s the thing about Schaub, he’s smart, he reads defenses even when he comes to the line of scrimmage.”
On their final drive in regulation, with three minutes remaining, Schaub rolled right and connected with Andre Johnson for a score in the back of the end zone to tie the game at 28 - 28. “Honestly, I thought he was throwing to me,” says Jones, “when he put it up I jumped up for it and was like ‘man this ball is high, I guess he throwing to back of the end zone’ so when I turned around, looked, and saw Dre caught it, I had the best seat in the house.” The Texans went on to lose the game in overtime 34 - 28 on a Raven’s interception return for a touchdown by Josh Wilson.
When it comes to Johnson’s capabilities, Jones recalls, “First time I walked on the field as a Texan in practice at OTAs, I was like ‘man, this dude is that big and moves like me’,” recounting the spectacle of fellow Texans wide receiver #80 Andre Johnson who Jones admires as a big brother. “I’ve never seen that before. The type of work he puts in, it pushes you; it makes you want to make a play on the field and get better as a player. He’s an inspiration.”
Jacoby might need a little more than inspiration when it comes to an off-field connection he would like to make with Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones, “Marry me. Marry me!” Jones responds when he hears the clip of Lolo Jones’ response to his proposal that included the pitch that she “would not have to change her last name.”
And should the Texans not advance deep into the playoffs, Jones will be ready to race whoever at the 2012 Millrose games, including the Oakland Raiders version of speed wide-out #12, Jacoby Ford, “I ain’t scared, set it up!”
