James Jones ( running back , born 1961 ) James Roosevelt Jones ( born March 21 , 1961 ) is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League ( NFL ) for ten seasons during the 1980s and early 1990s . Jones played college football for the University of Florida , and thereafter , he played professionally for the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL . Early years . Jones was born in Pompano Beach , Florida in 1961 . He attended Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach , where he was a star high school football player for the Blanche Ely Mighty Tigers . Jones was so versatile in his ability to play multiple positions that he was nicknamed the " Franchise . " " Parade " magazine named him as a high school All - American after his senior season . In 2007 , twenty - eight years after he graduated from high school , the Florida High School Athletic Association ( FHSAA ) recognized Jones as one of the " 100 Greatest Players of the First 100 Years " of Florida high school football . College career . Jones received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville , Florida , where he played for coach Charley Pell ' s Florida Gators football team from 1979 to 1982 . During Jones ' sophomore season in 1980 , he was a member of the Gators team that posted the biggest one - year turnaround in the history of NCAA Division I football — from 0 – 10 – 1 in 1979 to an 8 – 4 bowl team in 1980 . He was a team captain in 1981 and 1982 , a first - team All - Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) selection in 1981 and 1982 , and a third - team / honorable mention All - American in 1982 . He also received the Gators ' Fergie Ferguson Award , recognizing the " senior football player who displays outstanding leadership , character and courage , " in 1981 . Jones finished his Gator career with 2 , 026 yards rushing , 593 yards receiving and forty - eight yards passing , and led the team in rushing yardage for three consecutive seasons from 1980 to 1982 . He was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a " Gator Great " in 1998 . Professional career . The Detroit Lions selected Jones in the first round ( thirteenth pick overall ) of the 1983 NFL Draft , and he played for the Lions from to . Jones started off for the Lions blocking for Billy Sims but became the featured back for the Lions in when Sims was injured . Jones played with Garry James from to and the tandem became known as the " James Gang . " Jones ' best game with the Lions was in week 1 of in a 13 – 10 win over the Vikings ; he rushed for 174 yards on thirty - six carries and was recognized as the NFC offensive player of the week for his performance . Jones was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in for defensive back Terry Taylor , and he finished his NFL career with the Seahawks in . Jones finished his ten - season NFL career having played in 135 games , started ninety - one of them , rushed for 3 , 626 yards and twenty - six touchdowns on 1 , 010 carries , and caught 318 passes for 2 , 641 yards and ten touchdowns . Life after the NFL . Jones became the head football coach for his high school alma mater , Blanche Ely , in 2007 , but he resigned in May 2008 after a single season .