OMAHA, Neb. — Calvin Jones, a former Nebraska football standout and NFL Super Bowl champion running back, has passed away at the age of 54, according to reports.
Omaha police informed KETV that Jones likely succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning on Wednesday. An official determination of his death will follow an autopsy.
Officers discovered Jones deceased in his basement after a neighbor alerted them to a gas smell. A close family friend mentioned that he was experiencing issues with his furnace and had been using a generator to heat his home, KETV reported.
A native of Omaha, Jones shone brightly during his three seasons at Nebraska from 1991 to 1993 under the legendary coach Tom Osborne. He was part of the celebrated “We-Back” running back duo alongside Derek Brown, contributing to the Cornhuskers’ impressive 29-6-1 record during that time, which included a narrow loss to Florida State in the 1993 national championship game, ending 18-16. Over his collegiate career, Jones amassed 3,153 rushing yards and 40 rushing touchdowns, along with 24 receptions for 304 yards and two touchdowns, and earned the title of Big 8 Offensive Player of the Year in 1992 as a sophomore.
Jones was picked by the Los Angeles Raiders in the third round of the 1994 NFL Draft. During his two years with the team, he had limited playing time, accumulating 112 rushing yards on 27 carries and making two receptions for six yards.
In the 1996 NFL season, Jones joined the Green Bay Packers and celebrated a Super Bowl XXXI victory, although he only appeared in one game without recording any rushing attempts or receptions.
The Nebraska football icon was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
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