Calvin Jones Dies at 54; Former Nebraska Star Won Super Bowl 31 with Packers

Calvin Jones, star Nebraska running back and member of the Green Bay Packers team that won Super Bowl XXXI, has died at age 54.

The Associated Press reported the news Friday.

Jones' cause of death has not yet been confirmed pending an autopsy, per the AP. Stu Pospisil and Dan Crisler reported for the Omaha World-Herald that Jones' former high school coach said carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected as the cause of death.

According to Pospisil and Crisler, Jones' body was found in a basement in Omaha when firefighters responded to a call regarding gas odor.

He had been using a generator in the basement after his furnace stopped working, Pospisil and Crisler reported after speaking with retired Omaha Central coach Jo Dusatko.

After earning All-American honors as a star at Omaha Central, Jones played three seasons with Nebraska between 1991 and 1993.

He led the nation with 8.3 yards per carry during his freshman 1991 season and earned third-team All-American honors during his final college campaign in 1993.

Jones finished his college career with 3,153 rushing yards, which today ranks seventh all-time among all NU rushers. He went on to be selected by the Raiders in the 1994 NFL draft.

After playing two seasons with the Raiders in both Los Angeles and Oakland, Jones joined the Green Bay Packers ahead of the 1996 season. He appeared in one game for the Packers during the 1996 season and was part of the team that defeated the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl later that winter.

Jones finished his NFL career with 112 rushing yards on 27 carries. He played indoor football for the Omaha Beef following his departure from the league.

He was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.