Lam Jones John Wesley " Lam " Jones ( born April 4 , 1958 ) is a former American sprinter and former American football player . He won a gold medal in the 4 x 100 meter relay at the 1976 Summer Olympics . Sprinting career . Jones replaced an injured Houston McTear on the U . S . team at the Montreal Olympics , and finished sixth in the 100 meters . He also ran the second leg for the U . S . relay team , which won the gold medal . Perhaps even more than his Olympic gold , however , Jones is considered legendary in Texas high school sports history for his performance in mile relay at the 1976 class AAA high school track & field championships . Jones , running anchor for Lampasas High School , took the baton in last place , reportedly anywhere from 40 to 60 meters behind , and passed the entire field for victory . The run has taken on near - mythical status among those who saw it or claim to have seen it . University of Texas . Jones sprinted at University of Texas . He also joined the football team , where Coach Fred Akers nicknamed him " Lam " because he was from Lampasas , Texas to differentiate him from UT football teammate Johnny " Ham " Jones , who was from Hamlinhad , Texas . Lam Jones started his college career at running back , then was moved to receiver by Coach Akers . Jones had a modest career as a receiver on the football team , averaging 28 receptions per season , but his average of 18 . 9 yards per catch with 14 touchdowns scored interested the NFL ' s New York Jets . Jones ranks 10th on the UT all - time all - purpose yardage list ( 3 , 042 ) . He also is one of only three players in Longhorn history that have rushed for 100 yards in a game and registered a 100 - yard receiving game during their careers . NFL career . Jones was drafted by the New York Jets from the University of Texas with the second overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft , which the Jets received by trading two first round draft picks . He played wide receiver for the Jets from 1980 - 1985 . Since Jones was a world class sprinter , he could beat any coverage , but had trouble catching the football . He was viewed more as an athlete than a receiver . The $ 2 . 1 million contract he received was the first NFL contract worth over a million dollars . He amassed 138 receptions and 13 touchdowns in 5 years . He is considered one of the Jets ' top ten draft busts due to the draft picks traded for him and the large contract . Post - NFL Career . After his football career , Jones battled drug and alcohol addiction , which started in high school . A hazing incident as an NFL rookie was an omen of things to come . When veterans took him out drinking , the group started downing shots . Unbeknownst to Jones , the vets were drinking Coke and 7 Up , feeding him the hard stuff . . His troubles with drugs continued after his NFL career until a sexual molestation incident caused him to go to rehab . He recovered from his addictions and went on to speak about his addictions to high school athletes to help them avoid the same problems he had . In 2005 , Jones was diagnosed with myeloma cancer that affects bone marrow in the legs . He is reportedly in remission . Jones was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2008 .