During his time at Powell Valley High School, Thomas Jones, a Big Stone Gap Native, rushed for 7,793 yards, and helped lead the football program to back-to-back state championships in 1994 and 1995. Jones broke many Virginia High School League records during his high school career, including single season rushing yards with 3,319, as well as single-game rushing yards with 462, a record formerly held by his late uncle Edd Clark. He also tied Terry Kirby for most VHSL career touchdowns with 104. After High School, Jones committed to play for Coach George Welsh at the University of Virginia from 1996 to 1999. Jones finished his career as the Cavaliers’ all-time leading rusher with 3,998, surpassing Tiki Barber’s total of 3,389 yards. Jones’ senior year in 1999, was one of the best in ACC history. Jones set a then ACC and still current school record for single season rushing with 1,798 yards, while amassing 2,054 yards of total offense. Jones finished his senior year as a consensus first-team All-American, and finished eighth in the 1999 Heisman Trophy voting. After college, Jones was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the seventh overall selection in the 2000 NFL draft. Over the course of 12-year career that included stops in Tampa Bay, Chicago, New York, and Kansas City, Jones rushed for 10,591 rushing yards, good for 25th in NFL history, while scoring 68 touchdowns. 2008 with the Jets proved to be Jones’ defining year, as he was voted to the Pro Bowl, and earned first team All-Pro honors from the Pro Football Writers Association. Jones also broke New York’s franchise record for single season rushing touchdowns with 14 in 2009.
