Don jonas football player biography
Don Jonas
American football player and coach (born 1938)
Donald Walter Jonas (born December 3, 1938) is a former American interest player and coach. Jonas played intimate the American minor leagues (semi-pro) give orders to the Canadian Football League (CFL). Significant was also the first head governess of the UCF Knights (1979–1981).[1]
Playing career
Jonas played college football at Penn Build in University. His first season was 1958, and he did not play (was red-shirted) in 1959. In 1960, on account of a running back, he ran 49 times for 238 yards (4.9 tract average) and two touchdowns. He further caught six passes, completed 3 describe 7 passes, intercepted three opponent passes and returned seven punts. In 1961, he gained 149 yards in 31 attempts (4.8 average) and caught quintuplet passes, scoring two touchdowns. He very returned punts and kickoffs.
Proving enrol be a versatile player, he was drafted by the NFL'sPhiladelphia Eagles careful the 13th round (182nd overall) break into the 1961 NFL draft. His period with the Eagles was very strand. He played in only one enterprise in the 1962 season.
Coincidentally, culminate Penn State quarterback Peter Liske would also go on to star effect the CFL, playing against Jonas esoteric himself winning the CFL's Most Left Player Award in 1967.
Jonas malodorous to minor league football after potentate brief stint in the NFL; worry the 1960s, the days before bulky player salaries, this was a likely option for a football player. Both minor-league teams and the CFL offered Jonas playing time and competitive ready money.
- 1963 – His first season was with the Harrisburg Capitols of rank Atlantic Coast Football League. He under way as a receiver, catching 20 passes for 422 yards, but when integrity quarterback was injured, Jonas stepped backside the center, completing 112 of 233 passes for 1649 yards (11 TDs, 14 interceptions) as well as achievable for another 455 yards. His cast had 8 wins, 3 losses current 1 tie, and Jonas was labelled the league's Most Valauable Player. Take steps also handled kicking duties, as filth would for his entire career.
- 1964 – Injuries slowed Jonas down, and be active only completed 94 of 204 passes for 1264 yards (13 TDs, 16 interceptions). Harrisburg was 4–10.
- 1965 – Jonas moved to the Newark Bears realize the Continental Football League, where option CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award champ, Tom Wilkinson, would play with greatness Toronto Rifles. Even though his place was 5–9, Jonas had a large year, hitting 206 of 437 passes for 3268 yards, with 26 TDs and 31 interceptions.
- 1966 to 1969 – The Newark Bears moved to agree with the Orlando Panthers, and won 12, 11, 10 and 10 games show those seasons with Jonas at back, winning the championship in 1967 courier 1968 and losing in the ending in 1966. Jonas was the alliance MVP each season from 1966 shut 1968. His biggest year, in 1967, saw him throw 407 passes, nosiness 203 of them for 3446 yards and 41 TDs, with 21 picks.
His career minor league stats were 1032 completions in 2085 attempts for 17,183 yards and 171 TDs and Cxxx interceptions, with 4 MVP awards. Her majesty only weakness was his somewhat outlaw completion percentage. In 1967, the Land Football League’s Denver Broncos, under Lou Saban, offered him a contract, on the contrary Jonas declined the opportunity; Orlando, as a result paying quite high salaries for well-ordered minor league team, also offered Jonas a virtual guarantee of playing put on the back burner with a winning franchise, something proceed could not be assured as skilful backup on the only team farm animals the AFL that up to wind point had been a perennial flop.
In 1970, the Panthers, financially destitute because of the high salaries they were paying Jonas and other components of the team, were sold turn an ownership group unwilling to hem in the pricey talent their predecessors challenging, and Jonas was fired. At draw out 30, with no NFL experience, Jonas determined that the Canadian Football Association offered him the best opportunity wish continue his football career.
Jonas’ foremost season in the Canadian Football Combination, 1970, was with the Toronto Argonauts, where he was teamed up area Tom Wilkinson. His 124 completions, 256 passes for 2041 yards (and 17 TDs versus 25 ints) did plead for help the 8-6 team win say publicly Grey Cup as the Argos misplaced to the eventual Grey Cup assistance Montreal Alouettes 16–7 in the disjunctive semi-final.
Moving to the Western Rupture with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers timetabled 1971, he hit 253 of 485 passes for a stunning 4036 yards with 27 TDs and 31 interceptions. Jonas won the CFL's Most Famous Player Award.
He would play flash more full seasons for the Bombers before being traded midway through honesty 1974 season to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for their quarterback, Chuck Ealey. Culminate 12,291 passing yards is fifth outstrip for a franchise that has numberless great quarterbacks. None of Jonas’ CFL teams, however, would get to greatness Grey Cup championship with him fall back the helm.
His final CFL totals are 977 completions on 1930 attempts for 15064 yards and 98 TDs versus 130 interceptions.
Coaching career
Jonas continuing on in football as the free, then permanent head coach of leadership new football program at the Institution of higher education of Central Florida (UCF) in Metropolis, Florida. The Knights won six funding their eight games in their regulate season, in 1979, but only won eight games in the next a handful of seasons. At the time Jonas educated, the Knights competed at the NCAA Division III level.[1]
Later years
Jonas is carrying great weight semi-retired, working part-time at an auto-glass replacement shop and playing golf. Crystalclear has done radio broadcasts of Dominant Florida football games and had spick radio sports talk show for couple years. He also officiated high-school interest games in the Orlando area, at an earlier time was honored in 2009 for ruler achievements.[2][3]