Khari Jones
Encyclopedia
Khari Okang Jones [ke-HAR-ee] (born May 16, 1971 in Hammond, Indiana
) is a retired professional Canadian football
player and former television sports reporter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
. Jones played quarterback
in the Canadian Football League
, where he enjoyed his most success with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
. Jones also played briefly for the Arena Football League's Albany Firebirds and the World League of American Football
's Scottish Claymores
.
quarterback at the University of California, Davis
, where in two seasons as a starter
he became the first UC Davis quarterback to pass for over 3,000 yards and over 50 touchdowns in a season, while leading the Aggies to a 17-2-1 record during his junior and senior seasons (1992–1993). In 2000, Jones was inducted into the UC Davis Aggies Hall of Fame.http://ucdavisaggies.cstv.com/hallfame/ucda-hallfame.html It is important to note that during these formative college years, while he might have singularly focused upon his athletic career, he chose to also focus on the Dramatic Arts. Notable roles include the part of Juan Perón
in Evita, and of Vladimir
, in Samuel Beckett
's Waiting For Godot
. Jones is married to another UC Davis alumnus, Justine. They have two daughters together, Jaelyn and Siena.
. For the next two seasons, he received very little playing time, making only 3 out of 5 pass completions in his first season, and 3 out of 4 pass completions in 1996
.
, Jones signed with the BC Lions
. Jones played very little during his three year tenure with the Lions, as he was relegated to the backup spot behind incumbent quarterback Damon Allen
.
In 2000
, Jones joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
. Though he initially served as a backup to Kerwin Bell
, Jones eventually won the starting job during the middle of the 2000
season, thereby clearing the way for the Bombers to release Bell in midseason.
In 2001
, Jones was the CFLs Most Outstanding Player after leading the Bombers to a 14-4 record, including 12 straight wins. Jones was the Bombers quarterback in the 2001 Grey Cup
in Montreal
, where heavily favoured Winnipeg lost to the Calgary Stampeders
, 27-19.
Jones' following season (2002
) was even better statistically, which included 5,353 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes. Jones is one of only four quarterbacks in CFL history to pass for over 40 touchdowns in one season (Doug Flutie
, Peter Liske
, and Anthony Calvillo
are the only others to do sohttp://www.rauzulusstreet.com/football/cflrecords/cflindrecords2.htm). From 2000
to 2002
, Jones' 117 touchdown passes exceeded the record by any other quarterback in the CFL or NFL
over the same period of time. In four seasons with Winnipeg, Jones set seventeen Bomber passing records, including throwing for five touchdowns in a game four times in one season.
During the 2004 CFL season
, Jones was traded from the Blue Bombers to the Calgary Stampeders
, partially due to a shoulder injury which had affected his play. In the off-season between the 2004
and 2005
seasons, the Stampeders signed free agent
Henry Burris
and Jones was released.
Jones attended the Edmonton Eskimos
training camp at the beginning of the 2005 CFL season
, but with the Eskimos signing Ricky Ray
(and already having the 2004 season starter Jason Maas
), Jones was released again. Midway through the 2005 season he signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
but was released after eight games.
Prior to the 2006 season
Jones was signed by the Eskimos only to be released by them once more on June 10, 2006
as part of training camp cuts.
Three days later, on June 13, 2006, the CBC
announced that Jones would be their sideline reporter for their CFL on CBC broadcasts.http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/story.html?id=2337809c-bac4-4806-be8d-4eb9767c65b5&k=34864
On October 17, 2007, Jones inked a standard one-year contract plus an option with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and then signed his retirement papers right after. The paperwork means Jones officially retires as a Bomber, the team he had the most success with during his four-team, nine-year CFL career.http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Winnipeg/2007/10/18/4586362-sun.html
Jones is currently the Offensive Co-Ordinator and Quarterbacks Coach
for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Hammond, Indiana
Hammond is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 80,830 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hammond is located at ....
) is a retired professional Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
player and former television sports reporter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. Jones played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, where he enjoyed his most success with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
. Jones also played briefly for the Arena Football League's Albany Firebirds and the World League of American Football
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
's Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
.
College career
Jones was a record setting collegeCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
quarterback at the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
, where in two seasons as a starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
he became the first UC Davis quarterback to pass for over 3,000 yards and over 50 touchdowns in a season, while leading the Aggies to a 17-2-1 record during his junior and senior seasons (1992–1993). In 2000, Jones was inducted into the UC Davis Aggies Hall of Fame.http://ucdavisaggies.cstv.com/hallfame/ucda-hallfame.html It is important to note that during these formative college years, while he might have singularly focused upon his athletic career, he chose to also focus on the Dramatic Arts. Notable roles include the part of Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
in Evita, and of Vladimir
Vladimir (Waiting for Godot)
Vladimir is one of the two main characters from Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.- Personality :...
, in Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
's Waiting For Godot
Waiting for Godot
Waiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait endlessly and in vain for someone named Godot to arrive. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many different interpretations since the play's...
. Jones is married to another UC Davis alumnus, Justine. They have two daughters together, Jaelyn and Siena.
Arena Football League
Jones joined the Arena Football League's Albany Firebirds in 19951995 Arena Football League season
The 1995 Arena Football League season was the 9th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Tampa Bay Storm, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl IX. The AFL re-aligned its divisions for the 3rd straight year. It re-aligned to two divisions per conference...
. For the next two seasons, he received very little playing time, making only 3 out of 5 pass completions in his first season, and 3 out of 4 pass completions in 1996
1996 Arena Football League season
The 1996 Arena Football League season was the 10th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Tampa Bay Storm, who defeated the Iowa Barnstormers in ArenaBowl X. The AFL finally stabilized its scheduled number of games. It expanded to a 14-game season, which would remain...
.
Canadian Football League
In 19971997 CFL season
The 1997 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 44th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 40th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1997:...
, Jones signed with the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
. Jones played very little during his three year tenure with the Lions, as he was relegated to the backup spot behind incumbent quarterback Damon Allen
Damon Allen
Damon Allen is a former professional quarterback in the Canadian Football League, most recently with the Toronto Argonauts. He is currently second in all-time professional football passing yards and second in all-time CFL passing yards after he was surpassed for first place by the Montréal...
.
In 2000
2000 CFL season
-2000 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dave Dickenson , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington , BC Lions*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
, Jones joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
. Though he initially served as a backup to Kerwin Bell
Kerwin Bell
Kerwin Douglas Bell is an American college and professional football coach and former player who was a quarterback in the National Football League , World League of American Football and the Canadian Football League for fourteen seasons in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s...
, Jones eventually won the starting job during the middle of the 2000
2000 CFL season
-2000 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dave Dickenson , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington , BC Lions*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
season, thereby clearing the way for the Bombers to release Bell in midseason.
In 2001
2001 CFL season
The 2001 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 48th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 44th Canadian Football League season.-CFL news in 2001:...
, Jones was the CFLs Most Outstanding Player after leading the Bombers to a 14-4 record, including 12 straight wins. Jones was the Bombers quarterback in the 2001 Grey Cup
89th Grey Cup
The 89th Grey Cup was held in 2001 in Montreal. The Calgary Stampeders claimed their fifth championship in team history with a 27-19 win over the East Division champions and heavily favoured Winnipeg Blue Bombers....
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, where heavily favoured Winnipeg lost to the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
, 27-19.
Jones' following season (2002
2002 CFL season
The 2002 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 49th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 45th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2002:...
) was even better statistically, which included 5,353 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes. Jones is one of only four quarterbacks in CFL history to pass for over 40 touchdowns in one season (Doug Flutie
Doug Flutie
Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
, Peter Liske
Peter Liske
Peter A. "Pete" Liske, is a former American football quarterback and later a university athletics administrator.-High school and college football careers:...
, and Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo is a Canadian Football League quarterback, currently playing for the Montreal Alouettes. He is the all-time professional football passing yards leader and first in all-time CFL passing yards...
are the only others to do sohttp://www.rauzulusstreet.com/football/cflrecords/cflindrecords2.htm). From 2000
2000 CFL season
-2000 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Dave Dickenson , Calgary Stampeders*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Sean Millington , BC Lions*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Joe Montford , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
to 2002
2002 CFL season
The 2002 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 49th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 45th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2002:...
, Jones' 117 touchdown passes exceeded the record by any other quarterback in the CFL or NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
over the same period of time. In four seasons with Winnipeg, Jones set seventeen Bomber passing records, including throwing for five touchdowns in a game four times in one season.
During the 2004 CFL season
2004 CFL season
The 2004 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2004:...
, Jones was traded from the Blue Bombers to the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
, partially due to a shoulder injury which had affected his play. In the off-season between the 2004
2004 CFL season
The 2004 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2004:...
and 2005
2005 CFL season
The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2005:...
seasons, the Stampeders signed free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
Henry Burris
Henry Burris
Henry Burris, Jr. is a professional Canadian and former American football player. Burris plays the quarterback position with the Canadian Football League Calgary Stampeders. Burris spent one year as a reserve quarterback for the National Football League's Chicago Bears...
and Jones was released.
Jones attended the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
training camp at the beginning of the 2005 CFL season
2005 CFL season
The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2005:...
, but with the Eskimos signing Ricky Ray
Ricky Ray
Ricky Ray is a Canadian and American football quarterback who has played in the Canadian Football League and af2, as well as spending time on a roster in the National Football League...
(and already having the 2004 season starter Jason Maas
Jason Maas
Jason Maas is a former Canadian football quarterback. He is best known for his career in the Canadian Football League, which was largely spent with the Edmonton Eskimos...
), Jones was released again. Midway through the 2005 season he signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
but was released after eight games.
Prior to the 2006 season
2006 CFL season
-2006 Rogers CFL Awards:* CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Geroy Simon , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions...
Jones was signed by the Eskimos only to be released by them once more on June 10, 2006
2006 CFL season
-2006 Rogers CFL Awards:* CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Geroy Simon , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions...
as part of training camp cuts.
Three days later, on June 13, 2006, the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
announced that Jones would be their sideline reporter for their CFL on CBC broadcasts.http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/story.html?id=2337809c-bac4-4806-be8d-4eb9767c65b5&k=34864
On October 17, 2007, Jones inked a standard one-year contract plus an option with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and then signed his retirement papers right after. The paperwork means Jones officially retires as a Bomber, the team he had the most success with during his four-team, nine-year CFL career.http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Winnipeg/2007/10/18/4586362-sun.html
Jones is currently the Offensive Co-Ordinator and Quarterbacks Coach
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Trivia
- Jones is also an accomplished actor and has appeared in over 50 stage productions, with numerous movie and commercial appearances.
- Jones owns a Booster JuiceBooster JuiceBooster Juice is Canada's largest chain of fresh juice and smoothie bars. The chain specializes in health-conscious smoothies composed of a pure juice, fruit sorbet or vanilla frozen yogurt, frozen fruit, fresh yogurt and ice...
franchise in WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name... - Currently (March 2008) Jones is playing Thomas in RougeTheatre's play "Cowtown" in Calgary Alberta.