Former NFL lineman Kenyatta Jones dies at 39
Former NFL offensive lineman Kenyatta “Bear” Jones has died at age 39, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
His mother, Jessica Hadley-Brown, told the Times that he died Saturday of cardiac arrest.
Jones, the New England Patriots’ 2001 fourth-round pick, was the first-ever University of South Florida athlete selected in the NFL draft. He got minimal playing time in 2001, but does have a Super Bowl ring to his name thanks to his team’s win that season. He played 11 games in the NFL at right tackle in 2002, then underwent double knee surgery prior to the 2003 season, sidelining him for the year.
In October 2003, he was arrested for allegedly dousing a house guest and administrative assistant with scalding hot water, and the Patriots released him shortly thereafter.
He was arrested again in a 2008 Tampa narcotics sweep for allegedly trying to obtain a small amount of marijuana and cocaine, but was never prosecuted. He was also arrested for carrying a concealed firearm before his final year at USF.
Jones signed with the Redskins in 2004, where he played his final three games in the NFL.
In 2008, he played one season for Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League.
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