William “Dub” Jones was a NFL halfback and Cleveland Browns veteran best known for scoring six touchdowns in a single game.
- · Died: November 2, 2024 (Who else died on November 2?)
- · Details of death: Died in Ruston, Louisiana at the age of 99.
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Dub Jones’s legacy
Jones had an accomplished career in professional football, playing most of his 10 seasons for the Cleveland Browns, but it was a Nov. 25 game in 1951 that cemented his place in football history. On that day, the halfback ran for four touchdowns and pulled in two additional passes to set the NFL record of six TDs in one game. It was half Jones’s season total of 12. He was the first player in the NFL, and only the second player in any professional league, to ever accomplish the feat, a record now held by four.
Born and raised in Louisiana, Jones won a state championship at his high school in Ruston. He earned a scholarship to Louisiana State University, then became a star athlete at Tulane University, where he was transferred as part of a U.S. Navy training program during WWII. He was drafted by the Miami Seahawks in 1946, was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers that same year, then landed with the Cleveland Browns in 1948, where he’d stay for the rest of his NFL career.
Jones was a two-time Pro Bowl player, and won championships with the Browns in 1950, 1954, and 1955. He finished his career with 2,210 rushing yards, 2,874 receiving yards, and 41 touchdowns. After his playing days were over, he served as an assistant coach with the Browns from 1963 to 1968, including for their 1964 NFL championship. In 1982, Jones was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame two years later.
His son, Bert, became an NFL quarterback for a decade and was league MVP in 1976. Jones had six other children.
Tributes to Dub Jones
Full obituary: WKYC Studios
