Calvin Jones, a former Green Bay Packers Super Bowl champion and Nebraska Cornhuskers football legend, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 54.
Omaha police confirmed that Jones’ death appeared to be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities responded to a call around 8:30 p.m. after a neighbor reported gas odors coming from his home.
Upon entering, officers discovered Jones unconscious in the basement, with a running generator nearby. While carbon monoxide poisoning was suspected, an official cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy.
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What caused Jones’ death?
According to reports from Husker Extra, Jones had been using the generator in his basement after his furnace had stopped working.
A native of Omaha, Jones became a star at the University of Nebraska, playing for the Cornhuskers from 1991 to 1993.
He led the Big 8 Conference in scoring during his freshman year and earned All-American honors as a sophomore.
Alongside fellow I-back Derek Brown, Jones was part of Nebraska’s legendary “we-back” system, which dominated college football. The duo helped Nebraska average 329 rushing yards per game in 1992, the best in the nation, leading the team to an Orange Bowl appearance.
By the time Jones declared for the NFL draft, he had rushed for more than 3,000 yards and scored 40 touchdowns. His professional career, however, was brief, spanning only three seasons. He played for both the Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers, appearing in 16 games and rushing for 112 yards on 27 carries. Jones won a Super Bowl with the Packers in 1997.
Nebraska Football mourned his loss with a heartfelt statement.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Husker legend and Super Bowl Champion, Calvin Jones. Our hearts go out to the Jones family, and he will be greatly missed.”