On Sunday, Jones built upon what has already been an outstanding season with one the best games of his career. With the Vikings threatening to take the lead after a second-quarter Seahawks turnover gave Minnesota great field position, Jones picked off an ill-advised fourth-down pass from rookie quarterback Max Brosmer, and sprinted 85 yards for the first touchdown of his NFL career. That score put the Seahawks up 10-0, and with the defense dominating throughout the game, set the tone in what ended up being the team’s first shutout since Week 3 of the 2015 season. Jones, who had a team-high 12 tackles to run his team-leading total up to 83 this season, added a second interception later in the game, giving him five for the season, also a team high.

“He had such a great message to the team in the locker room,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “The guy has been through a lot, it’s just the position that we’re put in as coaches. That’s really the reason you have a team, is that you can be there for your brother when they need you. I know we’re in a business and there are transactions and stuff, but at the end of the day these are the relationships you’re going to have for a long time hopefully. It’s really great to see that the rest of the guys are there to support him.

“And he’s playing great football. You know, playing great football and battled through some health things throughout the year as well. I mean, some of the plays he’s making in the run game are just really tremendous, really great plays that allows us to really call some defenses that you normally wouldn’t call in those situations.”

As great as Jones has been in terms of his playmaking ability from snap to whistle, what really stands out to his teammates is the type of leader he is despite only turning 26 last week.

“He’s a great leader,” running back Kenneth Walker III said. “I love Ernest. We talk a lot. Everybody’s my brother, but that’s one of my close teammates. With everything he’s gone through, he continues to keep a positive mindset and continues to bring energy and life to the team. We’ve got nothing but love for Ernest, and we’ve always got his back.”

Said quarterback Sam Darnold, “It was his birthday recently, and it got put up in the team meeting. Every time there is a birthday Coach asks how old are you, and the guy has to say their age. Ernest said 26, and everyone looked around like, ‘Are you serious, that’s it?’ So he is wise beyond his years just with how he speaks and just with the way he plays football as well. So like I said, he’s a great leader for us and someone we can all depend on.”

Cooper Kupp, who was already an established veteran when the Rams drafted Jones in 2021, was blown away by Jones’ leadership and maturity as a rookie, and continues to be four years later.

“I’ve loved Ernest since he was in L.A.,” Kupp said. “What he did as he came in as a rookie, the way he carried himself, the way he could command a room as a rookie middle linebacker. Coming in and being able to learn this game, understand it at such a high level, but also be able to call people up to his standard, and being able to set the standard, it was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen.

“He’s one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around. And to be able to go through all the adversity, the traumas, but continue to hold fast and hold strong and overcome, and be the same Ernest, regardless of the circumstance that have been imposed on him, regardless of the things happening in his life, just being able to hold his bearing and be there for the guys over and over and over again, it’s an impressive thing. I love Ern, and he knows everyone on this team’s got his back. It’s just awesome to see him out there making plays and doing what he’s doing.”