The Atlanta Falcons lost a multi-faceted member of their franchise history on Thursday.
June Jones, a former quarterback and coach in Atlanta, died Thursday at the age of 73, according to The Athletic.
According to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman: “Jones had been suffering from severe back pain this year, and when he went to be checked, doctors discovered a tumor, according to his close friend, former Kentucky coach Hal Mumme. Jones entered hospice care earlier this month.”
Jones was a quarterback first who eventually made his mark as an innovative offensive mind. He’s best known by most for his time coaching at Hawaii, where he is the college’s all-time wins leader as a coach.
He made multiple stops in Atlanta, and his entire career is worth remembering.
June Jones With Falcons
Jones had a wandering college football playing career from Oregon to Hawaii to Portland State. He threw 50 TD passes in two seasons at Portland State, which earned him a look as an undrafted player with the Falcons.
Jones spent five seasons as a QB in Atlanta. He started five games for the Falcons and won one. He threw for 923 yards with three touchdowns overall in his NFL career.
He then played the 1982 season in the Canadian Football League for the Toronto Argonauts before moving into coaching.
Jones had a handful of stops before returning to Atlanta in 1991 to be the offensive coordinator. Then from 1994-96, he was the Falcons’ head coach.
The famous run-and-shoot system that Jones learned in college worked wonders in Atlanta initially. Jeff George threw for 3,734 yards and 23 touchdowns in year one, then 4,143 yards and 24 touchdowns in year two.
The Falcons went to the playoffs in Jones’ second season and lost to the Packers.
Atlanta went 3-13 in Jones’ final season, resulting in his dismissal at the end of the year.
Jones went 19-29 overall with the Falcons, but he had brought an offense to the NFL that was ahead of its time.
June Jones Coaching Career
Jones had a long coaching timeline.
He began as quarterbacks coach in Hawaii in 1983.
He was wide receivers coach for the USFL’s Houston Gamblers in 1984, then offensive coordinator for the USFL’s Denver Gold in 1985.
He became the offensive coordinator for the CFL’s Ottawa Rough Riders in 1986.
In 1987-88, he was the quarterbacks coach for the Houston Oilers.
In 1989-90, he was the quarterbacks and receivers coach for the Detroit Lions.
Then Jones went to the Falcons for his five-year stint. In 1998, he was back in the NFL as the quarterbacks coach and then interim coach for the San Diego Chargers.
Jones went to Hawaii from 1999 through 2007, where his potent offense helped him to 76 wins in his time there.
He then coached SMU from 2008 through 2014.
Jones has since been an offensive coordinator at a Hawaii high school, a head coach in the CFL for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a head coach for the Houston Roughnecks in the XFL, an offensive coordinator in The Spring League, and was last the offensive coordinator for the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons in the XFL.
His impact is still felt in offenses around football.
Ex-Falcons QB, Innovative Coach Dies at 73