Weyburn’s Jones bides his time
Weyburn native eager to get back on field to resume dream job with NFL’S Vikings
Brett Jones and Amy Cross had big plans for their wedding, but COVID -19 necessitated some alterations.
The March 28 wedding was originally planned as a gathering of family and friends but instead involved only a small group consisting of Jones, his fiancé, her sister (Ashley) and Jones’ brother (Scott), and a Regina marriage commissioner.
“With the current recommendations, we just did it with five people, stayed socially distant and did it at home,” said the Weyburn-born Jones, who is heading into his third season as an offensive lineman with the NFL’S Minnesota Vikings.
“It was nice. It wasn’t what we wanted necessarily, but we knew that we wanted to get married, and so we went ahead with it. I’m sure we’ll have a party in the future.”
The other family members watched the couple complete their nuptials via Facetime.
“It’s sort of the way it is for my career in the NFL, and in sports, that you realize it’s not going to be perfect and it’s not always going to be ideal,” said Jones, who met Amy while they attended the University of Regina. “You can always make the best of it and that’s what we did.
“We’re happy, and that’s all that matters.”
Jones has more than his wedding to be happy about. He recently signed a one-year deal with the Vikings for a base salary of US$910,000, the NFL’S veteran minimum.
He’s been with the Vikings since Aug. 26. 2018. He started his NFL career with the New York Giants in 2015 before being traded to the Vikings for a seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft.
“The fan base is very dedicated, just like it is in Regina,” Jones said. “It has that small-town sort of feel in that they all just come together and come to the game and drive in. Both fan bases are crazy about their teams.”
It’s been different in terms of preparing for the upcoming NFL season. Under ordinary circumstances, Jones would be at the Vikings’ training facility, taking part in organized team activities (OTA), which have been replaced by twohour online meetings.
“We’re going through the normal installs you would, as if we were there,” Jones said. “This phase isn’t really much different, other than you’re not there and you’re not working out. That will be the next phase, when we’re able to go on the field, which would be next week (if not for the pandemic).”
All OTAS have been postponed, so Jones will miss out on that opportunity to be on the field with his teammates.
“There are a lot of good guys on the team in Minnesota and they’re my friends,” Jones said. “I’ve been there for three years now, so you get to know the people in the building and you build relationships. You definitely miss that.
“It’s nice to be home and to be with your family. At the same time, your job is important, and you get to see those guys. You work with them day in and day out and you have a lot of fun.”
Jones’ professional career kicked off when he was selected by the Calgary Stampeders in the second round of the 2013 CFL draft after a stellar university football career with the Regina Rams.
He was considered a surefire first-round selection, but told teams in advance of the draft that he was thinking of attending medical school at the University of Saskatchewan.
As a result of that disclosure, he fell to the second round and was selected 16th overall. When he didn’t get into medical school, he joined the Stampeders.
If Jones’ application hadn’t been turned down, he could well be a doctor and dealing with COVID -19 patients.
“It would definitely be a lot different, especially with this going on,” said the 6-foot-2, 315-pound Jones. “The health-care workers are just giving their best to all of us. It’s pretty amazing what they do, day in and day out.”
Jones was named the CFL’S most outstanding rookie in 2013. One year later, he was honoured as the most outstanding offensive lineman. He capped his early CFL career by sharing in Calgary’s 20-16 win over the Hamilton Tiger-cats in the 2014 Grey Cup game.
Jones, 28, has dressed for 46 NFL games, starting 17 times at guard or centre, the latter of which is his primary position. He has also battled knee injuries, but is driven by the goal of proving he can play in the NFL full-time.
“That’s always been my dream, and that’s what I’ve been focused on,” Jones said. “That’s what pushes me forward more than anything else — to keep proving to myself that I can play. I believe in myself and I still love to play.
“I love the game. I have so much fun in the locker-room with the guys, and I really enjoy those times, and I just don’t want it to end. So that’s what keeps me motivated.”