Chris Jones was drafted by the Houston texans in the sixth round this spring (198th overall). He spent camp with the Texans before being waived at final cuts and being claimed by the Buccaneers on Sept. 1. He was then waived by Tampa on Sept. 10 and landed with the Patriots, who'd put a claim in on the rookie twice in less than two weeks. Jones made his debut in Atlanta and moved into the starting lineup two weeks later. At the bye he'd played in six games with the Patriots with four starts, and led all NFL rookies with five sacks.
Did you think you had made the Texans roster this summer?
I felt all right. I got injured so I missed some of training camp, so I wasn't really able to get better and improve myself as a football player, which set me back a little bit. But as soon as I got healthy, I played the last preseason game and I felt like I played well the last game. Talking to Rick Smith, he's a great guy, he said he wanted to keep me there but I got picked up. Then I got picked up again. It was a wild ride but I'm very fortunate and blessed to be here now.
Now you have stability and have been playing a lot and starting. What has it been like for the first few weeks here?
Wow. It's crazy. I went from traveling around and bouncing from team to team to being able to play a lot. Which, that's what you want to do. That's what I want to do, to be able to play and contribute as much as I can for the team that I'm on. It's awesome. I'm really excited about the opportunity that I have and I want to make the most of it.
What was your first impression of Bill Belichick?
Really cool guy. Great coach. I mean you hear stories about how great of a coach he is, then you get to meet him and you see that he's just a great guy. Very personable. Easy to come up to and talk to. He really helps you out and really coaches you. I have nothing but good things to say about him.
Did you have an idea of him beforehand and did that change when you got here?
The only thought that I really had was what I saw in the interviews with him. In the interviews he was very straightforward. He didn't let anybody get anything. When they interviewed him he was just like …he would answer your question, but he would answer the way he wanted it to be answered. That's the way I thought of him, but I knew he was a great coach.
What's your favorite movie?
Everyone asks me this and I don't really know the answer. When I was a kid, "Jurassic Park" was my favorite movie. I loved "Jurassic Park." Now I'm starting to get into a lot of different movies.
How about your favorite TV show?
TV show? I can't say what I actually watch, because people will make fun of me.
Nah, go with it.
Go with it? I have a fiancée, so I watch "Pretty Little Liars." We get into that a little bit. I also used to watch "House."
I think another player also said "Pretty Little Liars."
It's a good show, man. It's underrated. It has good plot twists.
If you could meet anyone from any time period who would you choose and why?
Man. Probably Martin Luther King. The effect he had on people pretty much …one of the biggest, most influential people in American history. Especially for, I'm partially African-American, half white, half black. Just from the standpoint of where some of my family was back in the day it would be pretty cool to meet him and see how he was. He was also a Christian. I think it would be pretty cool to meet him.
Being bi-racial, has that been a major factor in your life and growing up?
It just never really had a huge factor in my life. Growing up I think the biggest thing that helped me was that I was able to relate to a lot more people in a sense, if it were to help me. I have my cousins and family from my dad's side, my dad is African American. Then my mom is Caucasian and I have my cousins and family on her side. I'm able to intermingle.
Do you have any nicknames?
People call me Stone. Or Dwight. My middle name is Dwightstone. It was my dad's middle name too. I think it's a combination of somebody's first name and last name put together.
What's your first football memory?
I played in Ohio. Just little pee wee football. I started off in Miamisburg, Ohio. I was about 6 or 7, second grade I think. We were the Miamisburg Wee Vikes. We were the Vikings but the little Vikings. It was pretty cool. We had nice jerseys with our names on the back. I played like in the slot, an H-back. I was a little stocky but I could run. When we were little you didn't really throw the ball. Everybody would line up and just sort of hand the ball here or there. That's what I did.
Do you have a favorite training camp story?
I don't have much. I got hurt in training camp, so that was kind of a negative. We had skits with the Texans. I went up there and sang a little bit. I did a song, it's by a Polynesian group called the Common Kings, the song is called Alcoholic. But it's not about alcohol, basically he's just describing the way this girl makes him feel. He's describing her through alcoholic beverages … yeah, he's like drunk on her. I chose it. It's a smooth song. It has the R&B feel to it.
What's your favorite meal?
I love prime rib.
How about your favorite vacation spot?
I love to go out to Arizona actually. My grandpa has a great place out there. We just go and hang out. My grandpa is a great guy and he allows us to come out there whenever we want. We just fly out. Hang out in Arizona. It's always sunny there.
Do you have any hobbies?
I like to fish. I like to be outdoors. I haven't had a chance here, but I want to go deep sea fishing. That's something I really want to try. Fishing is a big thing. I hang out with my fiancée. We do a lot of stuff together.
What was your first car?
I had a little 2002 Land Rover Freelander. I got it from this little place in Indy. That thing died on me in like a year and a half. Some belt broke in it. It was like $5,000 to fix it. So I just junked it. It was terrible.
Do you remember your first crush?
I had one in eighth grade. I probably had a crush before that, but as far as I can remember back was eighth grade.
Do you remember her name?
Yeah, but I'm not going to disclose it.
Ever act on it?
Kind of. It wasn't anything big. We went to eighth grade prom together. We were just kids.
If I gave you three wishes, like a genie in a lamp, what would you use them on?
[Deep sigh] I wish I had an unlimited supply of pizza. I love pizza. Not prime rib. I couldn't eat prime rib all the time. But I could eat pizza all the time. I'd wish that my body would always feel good. And I'd wish good health for my loved ones. Let's get that one in there.
