Topic: Joe Jones

Joseph Willie "Turkey" Jones (born January 7, 1948 in Dallas, Texas) is a former American football defensive end who played eleven seasons in the National Football League.

Turkey Jones was a defensive end for the Browns in the early 1970s. He earned his nickname during his rookie season at Thanksgiving. The veterans always played a trick on the rookies, sending them off to distant farms to get "free turkeys" for the holiday. Jones never caught on, and continued the futile search for hours. The next year, the vets did it to the rookies, and Jones, again. That's how Turkey got his nickname. Jones wasn't as gullible on the field, however. By the end of his rookie season, he had worked his way into the starting lineup, but a knee injury sidelined him in 1972. Cleveland traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1974, but he was cut the next year, and he re-signed with Cleveland.

In 1976, Jones was back in the starting lineup when Pittsburgh rolled into Cleveland for a game with their biggest rivals, the Browns. Although Hal Lebovitz called it Jones' best game at the end of the third quarter, Jones would really make his mark in the fourth. Jones lined up for a play, beat the offensive lineman (Larry Brown) and wrapped his arms around quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Whistles blew, but Jones claims that he never heard them. Jones lifted Bradshaw up high, and slammed the Pittsburgh QB on his head. As Bradshaw laid there motionless on the ground, the officials marched off a 15 yard penalty for roughing. Bradshaw ended up with a concussion, the Browns ended up with an 18-16 win, and Jones ended up with a $3,000 fine. However, it also immortalized "Turkey" in Cleveland sports history.