Philadelphia Eagles: Donnie Jones joins Caleb Sturgis in Los Angeles
In one of the more surprising stories of the day, ex-Philadelphia Eagles’ punter Donnie Jones has unretired yet again to join the Los Angeles Chargers.
After a long day of post-game analysis and pre-game preparation for the Philadelphia Eagles Week 5 home contest against the Minnesota Vikings, I can honestly say I did not see this one coming.
As many fans already know, longtime Eagles punter Donnie Jones officially retired from the team after winning his first Super Bowl earlier this year, fittingly closing out his 14-year NFL team as a champion. However, apparently this would not be the final chapter in the former LSU Tiger’s pro career, as roughly a month after serving as an honorary captain for the Eagles home opener against the Atlanta Falcons, Jones has officially signed a new deal to join the Los Angeles Chargers following the team’s decision to waive Drew Kaser on Tuesday.
Though Kaser has a more than solid 47 yards per punt average over his two-plus seasons in the NFL, he’s struggled mightily as a holder, having to be replaced twice by backup quarterback Kellen Clemens per ESPN’s Chargers reporter Eric Williams.
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Jones now travels West to join up with his former special team compatriot Caleb Sturgis, his teammate in Philly from 2015-2017, in the hopes of helping to shore up both the Chargers’ kicking and punting units moving into the second quarter of the season.
And while this is a bit of a surprise to see Jones back on a football field in a different uniform, this isn’t even the first time Donnie Longball has retired in this calendar year.
After initially walking away from the game after his first ever Super Bowl victory, Jones asked the Eagles to release him from their reserve/retired player’s list so that he could enter free agency, a request the team happily granted thanks to the emergence of current ace Cameron Johnston. From there, Jones attempted to find a new home but failed to land a camp invite, resulting in what many assumed was the official end of his football career.
However, one month into the NFL season and the Longball is back.
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While this move obviously has no effect on the Eagles, it is certainly interesting that Jones has found a new home, and will officially be back on the field for his 15th professional season. Who knows, maybe he’ll meet the Philadelphia Eagles again in the Super Bowl, only this time wearing navy blue and gold?