JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars today signed running back Maurice Jones-Drew to a one-day contract so that he could retire as a Jaguar. Jones-Drew will be placed on the reserve/retired list.
"It's crazy. Nine years flew by" said Jones-Drew at his retirement press conference. "I'm going to miss playing with (Josh)Scobee, I'll miss running the conditioning test and being out of shape. That's what football was all about, it was about the hard times."
Jones-Drew, the club's second-round draft pick in 2006, started 70 of 114 games in eight seasons with the Jaguars and led the team in rushing in six of his eight seasons. He concluded his career in 2014 with the Oakland Raiders, playing in 12 games with one start.
"I got to start my career with Coach Del Rio and end it with him too so that was cool," said Jones-Drew.
Jones-Drew was a three-time Pro Bowl selection, earning the honors in three straight years from 2009-11, and is the only player in Jaguars history with at least 1,300 rushing yards in three consecutive seasons. He became the first player in franchise history to lead the NFL in rushing as he finished with a team-record 1,606 yards on 343 carries (4.7 avg.) in 2011.
The former UCLA standout holds Jaguars career records for touchdowns (81) and rushing touchdowns (68) while he owns single-season franchise records for rushing touchdowns (15, 2009) and yards from scrimmage (1,980, 2011). He ranks second in franchise history for career rushing yards (8,071), rushing attempts (1,804), all-purpose yards (13,131) and 100-yard rushing games (27). Jones-Drew holds the franchise record for receptions (335) and receiving touchdowns (11) by a running back, and his 486 career points are the most in team history by a non-kicker. He is tied with Fred Taylor for most consecutive games scoring a touchdown, with eight, and holds the club record with eight consecutive games with a rushing touchdown.
The duo of Jones-Drew and Taylor formed the NFL's second-best rushing tandem in 2006 and 2007. They helped the Jaguars set a single-season franchise record for rushing yards in 2006 with 2,541 (158.8 yards per game). As a rookie in 2006, Jones-Drew finished with 2,250 all-purpose yards, the third-most by a rookie NFL history, and set single-season franchise record by a running back with a 5.7-yard average per rush.
The next chapter for Jones-Drew is going to be behind the microphone as an analyst for the NFL Network or Fox. However, he says whatever is next for him, he hopes to continue to inspire people.
"To see all of you guys with smiles on your faces, that's kind of why I played this game, to inspire people. This game has done so much for me and my family. I really appreciate this game."