TITLE: Honoring Dhani Jones for his NFL and media careers and his many philanthropic contributions.

SUMMARY: Honoring Dhani Jones for his NFL and media careers and his many philanthropic contributions.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones has distinguished himself through his accomplishments on the gridiron and also as an entrepreneur and entertainer who supports a number of notable philanthropic efforts; and WHEREAS, Born on February 22, 1978, in Potomac, Maryland, Dhani Makalani Jones had a stellar collegiate career at the University of Michigan; he was named to the all Big 10 team three times and was an integral part of the Wolverines national-title-winning team of 1997; and WHEREAS, Chosen by the New York Giants in the sixth round of the 2000 National Football League Draft, he spent three seasons with the team before being signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles; in his first year in Philadelphia, he helped the Eagles win the 2004 NFC Championship and reach Super Bowl XXXIX; he joined the Bengals in 2007 and just completed his fourth season as their middle linebacker; and WHEREAS, Apart from his football career, Mr. Jones stars in the Travel Channel series Dhani Tackles the Globe,in which he visits people of different lands to learn about and participate in the sports most central to their cultures; in addition, he has appeared on Man v. Food and enjoys a number of artistic endeavors, including photography, poetry, and music; and WHEREAS, Mr. Jones frequently uses his celebrity to support causes he believes in; he helped create and appeared in public service announcements for the Climate Project, and he was a guest and media correspondent during the 2007 Live Earth Concert; in addition, he is currently involved in 350.org, which also addresses the issue of climate change; and WHEREAS, In 2007, this dedicated activist visited Africa to bring attention to the effects of environmental neglect by industrialized countries; moreover, he was featured in two public service announcements for the United Nations World Food Programme and currently serves on the entertainment council for the Feeding America organization; and WHEREAS, Long known for wearing bow ties, Mr. Jones created his own brand, Five Star Ties, in 2005; more recently, he has turned his sartorial signature into a charity, starting Bow Ties for a Cause, which creates and sells the bow ties he designs in order to raise funds and awareness for nonprofit organizations; and WHEREAS, A man of diverse interests and talents, Dhani Jones devotes himself to advancing worthwhile initiatives while also excelling as an athlete and television personality, and his many fans in the Lone Star State will be closely following his progress in the years ahead; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby honor Dhani Jones for his NFL and media careers and his efforts to help others and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Jones as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Lucio III Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 676 was adopted by the House on March 3, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House