Velus Jones Jr. on Sunday became the 41st former Tennessee football player to win a Super Bowl, doing so with the Seattle Seahawks in the 29-13 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX in San Francisco. 

Jones was one of two former Tennessee players in Super Bowl LX, with Josh Dobbs backing up Drake Maye at quarterback for the Patriots. 

Jones did not record a stat in the Super Bowl, but did down a punt inside the 2-yard line with the Seahawks leading 6-0 with five minutes left in the second quarter. He was also deep to return the game’s opening kickoff, which resulted in a touchback. 

In four years in the NFL Jones has started twice in 37 games, has ran 24 times for 197 yards and a touchdown and has caught 12 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown. 

Velus Jones Jr. was signed by the Seahawks in October

Jones was drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, selected at No. 71 overall by the Chicago Bears. 

He ran six times for 10 yards, played 11 offensive snaps and and one tackle in Seattle’s 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round on January 17 in Seattle.

Jones spent two seasons in Chicago before being waived in October 2024. He was on the Jacksonville Jaguars active roster and practice squad and was claimed by the Carolina Panthers off of the Jaguars practice squad in December 2024.

Jones signed with the New Orleans Saints last March, going between the active roster and practice squad before being waived in October. 

The Seahawks signed him in November and moved him between the active roster and practice squad until Saturday, when he was activated for the Super Bowl. 

Jones spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Tennessee, combining to catch 41 passes for 1,026 yards and a touchdown in 23 career games with the Vols. He returned 18 kickoffs for a total of 272 yards, averaging 15.2 yards per kick. He spent four seasons at USC before transferring to Tennessee in 2020.

Recent Tennessee players to win Super Bowl rings

Nine former Tennessee football players have won Super Bowls in the last decade and 41 former Vols have combined to win 51 Super Bowls. Offensive lineman Trey Smith was previously the most recent Super Bowl champion, winning in 2023 and 2024 with the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Dustin Colquitt punted for the Chiefs in the Super Bowl LIV, Cordarelle Patterson won Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots in 2019 and Derek Barnett won Super Bowl LII wit the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 and Justin Coleman won Super Bowl LI with the Patriots in 2017.

Punter Britton Colquitt and defensive lineman Malik Jackson won Super Bowl L with the Denver Broncos. Bill Anderson was the first former Tennessee player to win a Super Bowl, doing so with the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I.