ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Two-time Super Bowl champion Tony Jones has passed away,
He was 54 years old.
Jones, a 13-year NFL veteran, played four seasons for the Broncos at tackle from 1997-2000. He served as the team's right tackle during their first world championship season in 1997 and held future Hall of Famer Reggie White without a sack in Super Bowl XXXII. Jones then manned the left tackle position in 1998 as Denver earned another title. Jones earned Pro Bowl honors that season as he protected John Elway's blind side.
The 6-foot-5, 290-pound player started all 60 games in which he appeared over his four seasons in Denver. Jones joined the Browns as an undrafted player in 1988 and spent eight seasons in Cleveland. Jones was a second-team All-Pro in 1994.
Jones then spent the 1996 season with the Ravens before the Broncos traded a second-round pick to acquire him in February of 1997.
A Royston, Georgia native, Jones was named a member of the Broncos Top 100 Team in 2019. The list of players celebrated the franchise's all-time greats and was voted on by fans.
DenverBroncos.com also ranked Jones as the fourth-best tackle in team history in 2016.
"We lost a great man," Ring of Fame wide receiver Rod Smith posted on Instagram on Friday. "Just happened to be a hell of a ball playa. We love you and miss you Bone. One of the Broncos all time best tackles. greatest dresser of ALL-TIME!"
Three-time All-Pro tackle Willie Anderson also remembered Jones, calling him on Twitter a "great dad, friend, offensive tackle, trainer and coach."
Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Atwater was also close with Jones, as the two lived near each other after their NFL careers.
"He was an amazing guy, a heck of a nice guy," Atwater said. "Great football player — mean, nasty. That's the kind of guy that you want to go to war with if you're going to war. And we were really good friends. We lived in the same neighborhood when we lived in Georgia — lived down in Sugarloaf down there. We had a pretty good friendship. ... He and one other friend of mine, we got lunch a little bit before I moved from Atlanta, took me out to lunch. I always remember how nice of a guy he was, how great he was with his kids. A good guy, man."
During his years with the Broncos, Tony Jones helped protect John Elway for two Super Bowls, pave the way for Terrell Davis in his 2,000-yard season and much more.
Tony Jones is seen during a game against the Buffalo Bills at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on July 26, 1997.
Denver: Tony Jones defends the backfield against the Buffalo Bills at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on July 26, 1997.
Denver: Tony Jones waits on the sidelines against the Buffalo Bills at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on July 26, 1997.
Denver: Tony Jones returns to the line after a play against the Kansas City Chiefs at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on August 31, 1997.
Tony Jones in between plays against the Cincinnati Bengals at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 21, 1997.
San Diego: Tony Jones pass blocks for the quarterback against the San Diego Chargers at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, CA on November 30, 1997.
Kansas City: Tony Jones and Maa Tanuvasa gather to congratulate each other during the playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO on January 4, 1998.
Kansas City: Tony Jones along with other Broncos and Chiefs players huddle at midfield for a prayer after the Broncos' victory against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO on January 4, 1998.
San Diego: John Elway pulls a play action pass on first down and throws a 36 yard pass to Ed McCaffrey against the Green Bay Packers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA on January 25, 1998.
San Diego: John Elway is congratulated by Tony Jones in the last huddle of the game. Elway would kneel down and clinch the victory over the Packers against the Green Bay Packers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA on January 25, 1998.
Denver: Tony Jones readies to block an oncoming Charger defender against the San Diego Chargers at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on December 21, 1997.
Kansas City: Tony Jones walks triumphantly off the Arrowhead Stadium Field after the Broncos win their second round playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO on January 4, 1998.
John Elway celebrates with Tony Jones after their victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC Championship against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium January 11, 1998.
Tony Jones and Mark Schlereth wait for the pre-game announcements against the New England Patriots at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 7, 1998.
Tony Jones watches the action from the bench along the sidelines against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field in Landover, MD on September 27, 1998.
Tony Jones watches the game action from the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on October 4, 1998.
Tony Jones watches the action from the sidelines against the Cincinnati Bengals at Cinergy Field in Cincinnati, OH on November 1, 1998.
Tony Jones and Terrell Davis look to the replay to see what went wrong with the Broncos two-point conversion attempt against the Cincinnati Bengals at Cinergy Field in Cincinnati, OH on November 1, 1998.
Tony Jones prepares to block the oncoming defense against the Oakland Raiders at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on November 22, 1998.
Tony Jones prepares to block the oncoming defense against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on December 13, 1998.
Tony Jones sits in the restroom before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on December 27, 1998.
Tony Jones prepares to block the defense against the Atlanta Falcons at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Tony Jones blocks the oncoming defense against the Atlanta Falcons at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on January 31, 1999.
Tony Jones blocks a defender against the San Diego Chargers at Stadium Australia in Sydney, Australia (American Bowl) on August 8, 1999.
Tony Jones blocks a Chiefs defender (Derrick Thomas) against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO on September 19, 1999.
Tony Jones watches the action on the field against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO on September 19, 1999.
Tony Jones is greeted by his teammates during the pre-game introductions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL in Kansas City, MO on September 26, 1999.
Tony Jones applaudes after the Patriots were penalized 15 yards against the New England Patriots at Foxboro Stadium in Foxborough, MA on October 24, 1999.
Tony Jones and teammates pose for a photo before dinner during the week of American Bowl against the Miami Dolphins on August 4, 1997 at Estadio Guillermo Cañedo in Mexico City, Mexico. Photo by Eric Lars Bakke
Tony Jones moves in to block an oncoming defender against the Green Bay Packers at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on August 13, 2000.
Tony Jones greets his teammates during the pre-game introductions against the Green Bay Packers at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on August 13, 2000.
Tony Jones listens to the play call in the huddle against the Kansas City Chiefs at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on September 24, 2000.
Tony Jones runs onto the field during the pre-game introductions against the New England Patriots at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on October 1, 2000.
Tony Jones stretches during pregame against the Cleveland Browns at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on October 15, 2000.
Tony Jones blocks on offense against the Cincinnati Bengals at Cinergy Field in Cincinnati, OH on October 22, 2000.
Tony Jones blocks along with the offensive line against the San Diego Chargers at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on November 19, 2000.
Tony Jones takes a break on the sidelines against the Seattle Seahawks at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on December 10, 2000.
Tony Jones drops back into pass protection against the San Francisco 49ers at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO on December 23, 2000.
Tony Jones looks up to the scoreboard against the Baltimore Ravens at PSINet Stadium in Baltimore, MD on December 31, 2000.
