Another LSU great is getting his place of honor in Tiger Stadium.
The school announced Wednesday that it is retiring the No. 7 jersey of former All-American quarterback and will put his name and number in lights on the stadium’s facade. A ceremony to honor Jones will take place Nov. 14 during LSU’s regular-season home finale against Texas.
According to LSU, Jones’ honor was by a unanimous vote of the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame committee.
“I had no idea that there was anything in the works,” Jones said in a statement from LSU. “I have been the beneficiary of a lot of good things and received a lot of accolades and a lot of awards, but this is at the top of the list.
“To (have my name and number) hung up in Tiger Stadium, where my father played, my brother played and cousins played, is special. And what’s even equally as special is that I will be up there with my LSU roommate Tommy Casanova.”
Jones becomes the fifth player to have his name and number enshrined in Tiger Stadium, along with 1959 Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon (No. 20), 1962 Heisman runner-up Jerry Stovall (No. 21), All-American running back Charles Alexander (No. 4) and Casanova (No. 37), LSU’s only three-time All-American.
The retirement of Jones’ No. 7 jersey does not mean future LSU players will be unable to wear that number, an important distinction as wearing No. 7 and No. 18 have become annual honors for Tiger football players. Additionally, six other All-Americans wore No. 7 at LSU, more than any other number, including Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu and Leonard Fournette.
LSU’s only retired number remains No. 20, which was last worn by Cannon.
Nicknamed the “Ruston Rifle” because of his hometown and powerful right arm, Jones played at LSU from 1970-72 in an era when athletes could play only three varsity seasons.
Sharing time at quarterback with senior Buddy Lee, Jones helped lead the Tigers to the 1970 Southeastern Conference championship, LSU’s only conference title between 1961 and 1988. LSU went 26-6-1 during Jones’ career, as he left Baton Rouge as the school’s all-time leader in passing yards (3,255), touchdown passes (28), attempts (418) and completions (220).
In 1972, Jones became the program’s first All-America quarterback and finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting. His signature moment that season came when he led the Tigers on an 80-yard drive capped by a last-second touchdown pass to Brad Davis to beat Ole Miss 17-16, one of the most memorable plays in LSU history.
Jones was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts, where he went on to be the 1976 NFL MVP. Jones retired in 1982 after nine seasons with the Colts and one with the Los Angeles Rams, the second half of his career marked by shoulder and neck injuries. Jones finished his pro career with 18,190 yards passing and 124 touchdowns.
In 2016, Jones was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.