Former New York Giants third-round draft pick Chad Jones never played a down in the NFL after a devastating 2010 auto accident in which he nearly lost his left leg.
Nearly three years removed from the accident, Jones officially has ended his football comeback, Fletcher Mackel of WDSU-TV in New Orleans reported Thursday.
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Once a hybrid safety/linebacker with excellent speed and unique athleticism, Jones simply couldn't recapture his pre-accident form after more than a dozen surgeries on his leg. Cut by the Giants last offseason, Jones worked out for his hometown New Orleans Saints as recently as late January.
Jones now will turn his attention to pro baseball. A left-hander with a 91-mph fastball, Jones was a 13th-round pick by the Houston Astros coming out of high school. After helping LSU win the 2009 College World Series, he was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 50th round of the 2010 MLB Draft. Jones passed up a potential MLB career when he was drafted by the Giants.
Jones and college teammate Jared Mitchell made history as the only two college athletes to ever claim a BCS national title and a baseball national title. Here's hoping Jones still has the leg drive to find success on the mound.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.
