HOF Mail Bag - Deacon Jones

Deacon - What was your most memorable hit, tackle or sack? What made it so memorable to this day? Thanks. All the best. - Joe Arney

Thanks Joe for that great question. You know, all my sacks were special; they were special simply because you got there. The job that it takes to get to the quarterback, I don't know how you can separate one from the other but I always thought they were all special.  They all meant something to me and they meant something to my team. So they all were special.

Deacon, You are considered by many, myself included, to be the greatest pass rusher of all time. How do you think the rules changes in the game today that banned the head slap and allow the offensive lineman more freedom have helped or hurt the game? - L. Bell

It just depends on how you look at it. I think the whole body should be in play when you play football. I don't think certain portions of it should be so you are going to get a negative from me. I believe the game has changed quite a bit and the game now is less violent than it used to be and maybe that is good, maybe that is what the fans want.

I have to ask this! Who was the best offensive lineman you ever had to battle? You have left a legacy that few can compare to. Thank you for all the enjoyment your career has brought to so many football fans. - Vince Seeley, Ohio

There are a number of guys in the Hall of Fame that really represent that question. Bob Brown, Forrest Gregg, Jim Parker, all of those guys were basically great football players who proved that by their membership in the Hall of Fame. I had a problem with all of them.

Deacon, Growing up in Minnesota and being a lifelong Viking fan, you were one of my three favorite all-time players growing up (the other two were Charley Taylor and Joe Kapp). I remember listening to my transistor radio at home in December 1969 as a 10-year-old to the Vikings-Rams playoff game at the Met.

I could ask you a serious football question, but all of us 40-something Nickelodeon TV buffs have but one question. Who was a better actor and who had a better performance on The Brady Bunch you or Joe Namath?

My vote is for Deacon Jones. Much better interaction with Peter Brady than Joe Namath with Marcia. Thanks and always love hearing you on any talk show. You're first class and always represent the NFL so well!!! - David Vessey, Cincinnati, Ohio

Well thank you, that's a heart felt statement, I really accept that and thank you very much. I had a great time with The Brady Bunch , I did that in 1968 and you see we're still talking about it. I'm very satisfied with that performance. I didn't know the Brady Bunch would run this long. No question about [it], I was better than Joe Namath because they are still talking about mine, and playing it.

Mr. Jones - I remember briefly watching you when you played for the Washington Redskins. One game I can remember is when they placed you in as the kicker. I don't think I'm incorrect on this. Can you please tell me why Coach Allen decided to do this? - Chris Henson, Senior Master Sergeant, United States Air Force

I was the backup kicker for the Rams and the Redskins during my tenure and never had a chance to kick. And I want you to know that that is the last play that I played in the National Football League on that particular kick, which was kind of ugly but it got through. So that was my first kick in the real live action and my last play in the National Football League.

Coach (George) Allen decided to do that because I was the backup kicker and I was going to kick one before I left the game. I had never kicked in a live situation. We were beating the Bears to death so I asked George if I could make my last play an extra point and he granted me that wish rightfully so. You're absolutely right, I did kick it, it was ugly but I made it.

Besides yourself, and one Dick Butkus, who is the hardest hitting player you've ever seen?

Dick Butkus is the hardest hitting man I've ever seen. I hit you consistently, I was more of a jabber and keep that jab in your mouth. Butkus was a knockout artist; he came to hurt you real bad.

[Other than us] probably Chuck Bednarik from the Eagles. Bednarik, Sam Huff, all of those guys, those middle line backers, Willie Lanier, Ray Nitschke. These guys, man, they could break you in half.