Former Super Bowl Champ And Running Back Calvin Jones Dead At 54

The 54-year-old was found in the basement of his home in Omaha

Former NFL player Calvin Jones was recently found dead in his apartment.

According to Husker Extra, Jones, who played his collegiate career with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, was found dead of possible carbon monoxide poisoning after being discovered in his home on Wednesday, Jan. 22. The 54-year-old was found in the basement of his home in Omaha after firefighters were summoned to the home after a report of a gas order coming from the house.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Husker legend and Super Bowl Champion, Calvin Jones.

Our hearts go out to the Jones family and he will be greatly missed. pic.twitter.com/fCsYkOvB4k

— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) January 24, 2025

After firefighters arrived at the home and discovered Jones’ body, they contacted police officers. The cause of death is pending the outcome of an autopsy report.

Reportedly, the furnace in the home had gone out and left Jones using a generator in the basement.

Jones, who played in the NFL with the Los Angeles Raiders and Green Bay Packers, won a Super Bowl Championship with the Packers in 1997. He started his football journey at Omaha Central, where he set the Class A single-game rushing record (367 yards), the single-season rushing mark (2,196), and the career rushing record (3,965), according to Sports Illustrated. During his senior season, he was named a Gatorade Circle of Champions Nebraska running back of the year. He also won a state championship as a sprinter at the high school.

Jones was inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

When he graduated, Jones went on to Nebraska, where he set a freshman record of 900 rushing yards as NU’s alternate to leading back Derek Brown in 1991. He became the first freshman to lead the Big Eight Conference in scoring with 8.4 points per game. He earned Big Eight Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors in his first year.

Jones finished his collegiate career averaging 105.1 yards per game, earning him a third-team All-American honor in 1993 after finishing as a second-teamer in 1992.

He became a third-round pick by the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1994 NFL Draft. After playing two seasons with the team, he went to the Packers, where he helped the team beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI.

Jones went back to Omaha and played for the Omaha Beef in 2000.