Former Ohio State star Cardale Jones signs deal, attempting football comeback

Former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones will play for the Indoor Football League’s Massachusetts Pirates in 2023.

Jones helped lead the Buckeyes to the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship during the 2014-15 season. He ascended from third in the depth chart to begin the season, to first-string campus legend in the span of one season following injuries to Braxton Miller and JT Barrett.

He was later drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 draft by the Buffalo Bills. He didn’t last long in the NFL, before playing for the XFL’s D.C. Defenders in 2020.

The team’s co-owner, president and general manager Jawad Yatim commented on the signing back in December.

“Cardale is a winner. He has the ability to create and improvise, obviously has a live arm and has competed at the highest levels of football. We’re excited to insert his skill set and abilities within our organization. We want a locker room full of enthusiasm this year and my conversations with Cardale have only reflected that sentiment. We’re really glad to have him,” Yatim said. 

During his OSU career, Jones completed 167-of-270 passes for 2,323 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also ran 153 times for 617 yards and four more scores and would finish his career in Columbus 11-0 as a starter. In the XFL, Jones completed 54 percent (61-of-111) of his passes for 674 yards and four touchdowns to go with 17 carries for 61 yards.

This isn’t the first time Jones has attempted a comeback in the last calendar year. Ironically, he was signed to the CFL’s Edmonton Elks to replace quarterback JT Barrett – just as he did seven years before at Ohio State. That didn’t come to fruition, however, as Jones was released by the team two weeks later and did not play a single down.