One of the best running backs to ever play for the Nebraska football team tragically passed away this week. Calvin Jones, who was a member of the “we-backs” Husker backfield, used ot share carries with fellow running back Derek Brown back in the early 1990s.
As first reported by KETV, the former Husker was found dead at his residence Wednesday after a close family friend reported that Jones was having issues with his furnace. Per the police report, officers responded to help Omaha Fire with an odor of gas and Jones was found deceased in the basement. The early indication shared by law enforcement was of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Jones was especially loved during his playing days by Nebraska football fans because he was a home grown player. Before an outstanding career with NU, he was a bruising runner with Omaha Central.
Former Nebraska football running back dies
During his high school career, Jone set the Class A single-game rushing record (367 yards), the single-season rushing mark (2,196), and the career rushing record (3,965). He scored a whopping 22 touchdowns during his senior season.
While he redshirted in his first year with the Huskers he exploded on the season in his second season, rushing for 900 yards while playing behind Brown. His biggest freshman outing was when he ran for 294 yards against Kansas as he replaced Brown in the starting lineup due to the other back being injured.
In his sophomore season, he ran for 1,210 rushing yards and 14 scores and followed that up with just over 1,000 yards in his final campaign with Nebraska. Jones was drafted in the 3rd round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the then Los Angeles Raiders. The former Nebraska football great eventually won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 1996.