Former South Carolina defender Ernest Jones gives back after devastating Hurricane Helene
The NFL Players Association announced that former South Carolina linebacker Ernest Jones was the Week 6 NFLPA Community MVP. Jones’ award win comes with a $10,000 NFLPA donation to the charity of his choice. He also earned eligibility for the season-long Alan Page Community Award and a $100,000 charitable donation.
Following the devastation left behind in the southeast by Hurricane Helene, Jones took time out of his bye week with the Tennessee Titans to go home. The Waycross, Georgia native traveled from Nashville to South Georgia with his wife Tyra to give back to his community. Like most of South Georgia, parts of the Carolinas, and Eastern Tennessee, Waycross was hit hard by the storm.
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In partnership with his Ernest Jones IV Foundation, the Jones couple paid to have local food trucks give out 400 free meals to families in the Waycross community affected by Helene. Some people in the community still are not back in their homes following extensive damage. Others are just now getting their power back. For one dinner, at least, Ernest Jones helped make a difficult time a little less difficult.
According to the press release from the NFLPA, Jones recently held a back-to-school giveaway and will have his annual Thanksgiving drive next month. “I believe we all have a responsibility to inspire change and use our platforms to make a meaningful, positive impact,” Jones said.
Late this offseason, the Los Angeles Rams traded Jones to the Tennessee Titans as a cost-saving measure. As a young star at the linebacker position, Jones (rightfully) expects a nice payday when his current contract ends.
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[Win two tickets to the South Carolina-Texas A&M football game]
So far in 2024, Jones has been really good for the Titans. The Titans have surrendered the fewest passing yards and rank in the top-10 in stopping the run. In contrast, the Rams are second-worst in football against the run. Tennessee has been just average in points allowed this year, but LA has a bottom-five scoring defense this season.
Not all of these stats are directly related to Ernest Jones, but the former Gamecock star left a big hole upon his exit from Los Angeles.
During his South Carolina football career, Jones was an All-SEC contributor and team captain. Despite being a 3-star prospect, he worked his way to becoming a 3rd round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Since joining the professional ranks, the stud linebacker has become a high-level starter, won a Super Bowl, and set an all-time franchise record for tackles with the Rams organization.
Jones and the Tennessee Titans return to action on Sunday with a divisional game against the Indianapolis Colts. Fans can watch the game at 1:00 p.m. on CBS or the Paramount+ app.
