Homer Jones, a previous NFL vast receiver who made 2 Pro Bowls as a participant of the New York Giants, died Wednesday early morning at the age of 82 after fighting lung cancer cells. Jones' death was confirmed by his child Lacorral Jones Nickelberry to KLTV in Pittsburg, Texas. A native of Pittsburg in East Texas, Jones ran track and area and played college football at Texas Southern before being chosen by the Houston Oilers in the 20th round of the 1963 AFL Draft. Jones, however, would certainly be reduced by the Oilers after experiencing a knee injury in training camp. He would subsequently land with the New york city Giants, that offered Jones an aircraft ticket to New York and settlement for his knee came to be known for his extraordinary rate in New York, and he would enjoy his greatest success in the late 1960s when he became a favored target of Fran Tarkenton upon the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback's trade to the Giants in 1967. Acquiring a Giants group that had gone 1-12-1 the year prior to, Tarkenton swiftly identified Jones as his finest playmaker, also betting Dallas Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith $10 that Jones might elude Pro Football Hall of Fame large receiver "Bullet" Bob Hayes in a footrace. As legend goes, Jones would certainly have the most effective period of his job in 1967, capturing 49 masquerades 1,209 lawns averaging 24. 7 lawns per catch) and a league-leading 13 touchdowns on his way to his initial Pro Dish. Jones would additionally make the Pro Dish in 1968. For all his production as the Giants' celebrity receiver, Jones' long lasting impact on football would wind up coming through a development in goal parties: At the time, the NFL had secured down on gamers commemorating touchdowns by throwing the sphere right into the grandstands, imposing a $50 penalty for any kind of player that did so, beginning in 1965. RIP Homer Jones at age 82. A collegiate sprinter, Jones joined #NYGiants in 1964 & & made NFL history in 1965. Not wanting a penalty for throwing the sphere in the stands, Jones developed the spike on this 89 yard TD vs Eagles. In 1967 Jones led the NFL w/ 13 TDs #TogetherBlue /SOcAtVWDNU BigBlueVCR ) June 14, 2023 After scoring an 89-yard goal against the Philadelphia Eagles, Jones remembered the great just as he will toss the round right into the stands, and instead threw it hard into the ground. Jones' relocation ended up being called "The Spike," and has become a conventional party throughout football ever before since. "I was dealing with to throw it into the grandstand," Jones said in a 2015 story Eagles Store. "However equally as I was increasing my arm, the fact broke right into my head. Mr. [Pete Rozelle would have fined me. That was a lot of money in those days. So I just tossed the ball down right into the end zone, right into the yard. Individuals obtained excited, and I did it for the rest of my job. "Jones would certainly be traded to the Cleveland Browns following the 1969 period, and he would certainly make an instant perception in his initial video game by returning the second-half kickoff for a goal versus the New york city Jets throughout the extremely initial "Monday Evening Football" broadcast. However, injuries would catch up to Jones and he would certainly retire after being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1971. Jones finished his NFL profession with 224 functions for 4,986 backyards and 36 touchdowns, 28 of which came throughout a three-year stretch of 1,000+ backyard seasons from 1966 to 1968. He is likewise attributed with 17 hurrying efforts for 146 lawns and a touchdown in addition to 888 kick return backyards with a , who resided in his native Pittsburg at the time of his passing, is made it through by his 6 kids.