Ernest Jones

Ernest Jones IV (born November 22, 1999) is an American professional football linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Early life Jones grew up in Waycross, Georgia and attended Ware County High School. As a senior, he recorded 112 tackles with six tackles for loss, two sacks and three forced fumbles and was named first-team Class AAAAA.

College career

Jones played in five games as a freshman with 16 tackles and a forced fumble. He became a starter and led South Carolina with 97 tackles in his sophomore season. Going into his junior season, Jones missed most of South Carolina's preseason training due to an appendectomy. He led the team again as a junior with 86 tackles, five of which were for a loss. At the end of the season, Jones declared that he would forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

Professional career

Los Angeles Rams Jones was selected in the third round with the 103rd overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams. Jones signed his four-year rookie contract with the Rams on July 22, 2021.

Jones entered his rookie season in 2021 as a backup inside linebacker behind Kenny Young and Troy Reeder. He was inserted into the starting lineup after the Rams traded Young prior to Week 8. In Week 14, Jones intercepted a pass from Kyler Murray in a 30–23 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 16 and was placed on injured reserve on December 28, finishing the regular season with 61 tackles and one sack, with four passes defensed and two interceptions through 15 games and seven starts. Jones was activated on January 29, 2022, for the National Football Conference Championship game, contributing two tackles as he backed up Reeder in the Rams' 20–17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. In Super Bowl LVI, Jones got the start at inside linebacker and recorded seven tackles with one sack and a pass defensed in the Rams' 23–20 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals.

During the team's voluntary minicamp in May 2022, the team announced that Jones was changing his jersey number from '50' to '53.' In the 2022 season, Jones finished with 114 tackles, one interception, two passes defended, and one forced fumble.

Jones became a full-time starter in 2023, starting 15 games while leading the team with 145 tackles.

Tennessee Titans Prior to the 2024 season, Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans with a 2026 sixth-round pick for a 2026 fifth-round pick. He played six games with the Titans, making 44 tackles and two pass deflections.

Seattle Seahawks On October 23, 2024, Jones was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Jerome Baker and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick. He played 10 games with the Seahawks as a starting linebacker, making 94 tackles, 0.5 sacks, one interception, and a forced fumble. In Week 13, Jones recorded 12 tackles, two pass breakups, and two interceptions, returning one for an 85-yard touchdown, in a 26–0 win over the Minnesota Vikings, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

On February 8, 2026, Jones won Super Bowl LX with the Seahawks against the New England Patriots. He recorded 11 tackles (10 solo) in the game.

NFL career statistics LegendWon the Super Bowl Led the leagueBoldCareer high

Regular season Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles GP GS Comb Solo Ast Sck TFL PD Int Yds Avg Lng TD FF FR Yds Avg Lng TD 2021 LAR 15 7 61 36 25 1.0 1 4 2 50 25.0 31 0 0 0 – – – – 2022 LAR 17 11 114 66 48 0.0 4 2 1 0 0.0 0 0 1 0 – – – – 2023 LAR 15 15 145 74 71 4.5 14 6 0 – – – – 0 0 – – – – 2024 TEN 6 5 44 29 15 0.0 3 2 0 – – – – 0 0 – – – – SEA 10 10 94 48 46 0.5 1 2 1 12 12.0 12 0 1 0 – – – – 2025 SEA 15 15 126 60 66 0.5 4 7 5 150 30.0 85 1 0 0 – – – – Career 78 63 584 313 271 6.5 27 23 9 212 23.6 85 1 2 0 0 0.0 0 0

Postseason Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles GP GS Comb Solo Ast Sck TFL PD Int Yds Avg Lng TD FF FR Yds Avg Lng TD 2021 LAR 2 1 9 6 3 1.0 2 1 0 – – – – 0 0 – – – – 2023 LAR 1 1 9 4 5 2.0 1 0 0 – – – – 1 0 – – – – 2025 SEA 3 3 25 20 5 0.0 1 1 1 0 0.0 0 0 1 0 – – – –Career 6 5 43 30 13 3.0 4 2 1 0 0.0 0 0 2 0 0 0.0 0 0

Personal life Jones is a Christian. He married his high school girlfriend, Tyra, in September 2023 and their son, Ernest Jones V, was born in July 2024.