PHOENIX, AZ, OCTOBER 20, 2016 -
Levi Jones beamed as he walked onto the field of Sun Devil Stadium on October 8, 2016, probably remembering the day in 1998, when he was literally a “walk-on,” hoping for an opportunity to play football for
Arizona State University (ASU). This time he was surrounded by family and greeted by the warm applause of thousands of fans as he was honored for having, 18 years later, been inducted into the
ASU Hall of Fame.
Jones was born in the small town of Eloy, Arizona. With only 6% of adults there having earned college degrees, his future as one of three kids with a single-parent home may not have seemed promising. But the work ethic of his mother and guidance of his grandfather, who was a pastor, inspired Jones to exceed in academics, where he achieved a 3.85 GPA and earned a full academic scholarship to ASU.
This gifted 6’6” student had also lettered in basketball, track and football, earning first-team, all-state offense, and all-conference offense honors. So he decided to try out for the football team and became a successful left tackle. In addition to graduating with a major in exercise science and minor in business, Jones was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the NFL draft in 2002.
Unlike so many NFL players, who after a brief time on the field, fade into obscurity or, even, go bankrupt, Jones continued to succeed in life after his eight years in the NFL. Business-wise, Jones runs a successful RV dealership—
Lifestyle RVs—in Mesa, employing Arizonans and providing outstanding customer service.
The other football player, inducted into the ASU Hall of Fame this year, is
Zach Miller, who played from 2004-6 and is considered one of the greatest tight ends to have played for the university. The Tempe, Arizona, native is the all-time ASU leader in receptions and touchdown catches by a tight end. He was drafted in the second round by the Oakland Raiders in 2007. During his eight years in the NFL, he was selected to the Pro Bowl and was a member of the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks.
Both ASU alumni have demonstrated that good character, perseverance, hard work and concern for their community can result in a successful life during and after a career in football.
