Mike Jones (wide receiver)
Encyclopedia
Michael Anthony Jones is an American football
coach and former professional
wide receiver
. He is currently the offensive coordinator
at Tennessee State University
.
wide receiver from 1983 to 1989, playing with the Minnesota Vikings
and the New Orleans Saints
. He played college football
at Tennessee State University
.
of NFL Europa. As an assistant, he spent five years with the Fire in two spells, reaching the World Bowl
on four occasions. From 1998 to 2000 he was the team's wide receivers coach, with the Rhein winning the league championship in 1998 and 2000.
Jones spent the 2001 season as an assistant with Galen Hall
's Orlando Rage
of the XFL
.
After a one year hiatus, Jones returned to the Fire as offensive coordinator
in 2002. The Fire returned to the World Bowl in 2002 and 2003, losing to German rivals Berlin
and Frankfurt
.
Following Galaxy head coach Doug Graber
's resignation following the 2003 season, Jones was named Graber's replacement. In his four seasons as Frankfurt's head coach, Jones guided the team to the World Bowl three times, winning World Bowl XIV
in 2006. The league subsequently folded following the 2007 season.
On November 28, 2007, Jones was named head coach of Team Alabama of the All American Football League
. However, the league's inaugural season was postponed for financial reasons.
On February 2, 2009, Jones was named the Receivers coach for the Toronto Argonauts
of the Canadian Football League
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. He is currently the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
.
Playing career
Jones had a seven-year career as an National Football LeagueNational 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...
wide receiver from 1983 to 1989, playing with the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. He played college football
College 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...
at Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
.
Coaching career
Jones began his pro coaching career as an assistant coach with the Rhein FireRhein Fire
The Rhein Fire was a professional American football team in NFL Europe, formerly the World League of American Football. Established in Germany in 1995, the franchise resurrected the name of the former Birmingham Fire team which was active during the 1991-1992 WLAF seasons.-History:The team was...
of NFL Europa. As an assistant, he spent five years with the Fire in two spells, reaching the World Bowl
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
on four occasions. From 1998 to 2000 he was the team's wide receivers coach, with the Rhein winning the league championship in 1998 and 2000.
Jones spent the 2001 season as an assistant with Galen Hall
Galen Hall
Galen Samuel Hall is an American college and professional football coach and former player. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and an alumnus of Penn State University, where he played college football...
's Orlando Rage
Orlando Rage
-Statistical leaders:* Rushing yards: 387, Derrick Clark* Receiving yards: 659, Dialleo Burks* Passing yards: 998, Brian Kuklick-Awards:-Honors:...
of the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
.
After a one year hiatus, Jones returned to the Fire as offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
in 2002. The Fire returned to the World Bowl in 2002 and 2003, losing to German rivals Berlin
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
and Frankfurt
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
.
Following Galaxy head coach Doug Graber
Doug Graber
-Professional:-External links:*...
's resignation following the 2003 season, Jones was named Graber's replacement. In his four seasons as Frankfurt's head coach, Jones guided the team to the World Bowl three times, winning World Bowl XIV
World Bowl XIV
World Bowl XIV was NFL Europe's 2006 championship game. It was played at the LTU Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany on Saturday, May 27, 2006.The game was between the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy and the defending World Bowl Champion Amsterdam Admirals . 36,286 people were in attendance, as the Galaxy stripped...
in 2006. The league subsequently folded following the 2007 season.
On November 28, 2007, Jones was named head coach of Team Alabama of the All American Football League
All American Football League
The All American Football League was a proposed professional American football league. The league, which was to combine a professional pay structure with the requirement that all players be college graduates, had originally been scheduled to start in the spring of 2007, but later postponed its...
. However, the league's inaugural season was postponed for financial reasons.
On February 2, 2009, Jones was named the Receivers coach for the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
of 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....
.