On the January 24, 2022 episode of the Stick and Hack Show, Adam and Mike talk with Mr. Brian Jones, pro football player, CBS college football analyst, and golfer.
This Q&A has been shortened for clarity. To hear the full interview, listen to episode 408 of the Stick & Hack Show.
SH: Let’s get right to it. You had an incredible college career, you had many years in the NFL. When you left the NFL, you did what many former players do, you got into broadcasting. You’ve been there since 2005. The question is, in your football career or broadcasting, which gives you the most joy in life?
Brian Jones: Wow, well, I’d have to say the broadcast and currently, because it keeps me close to the game, yet I don’t have to take the hits, or deliver the hits and endure the pain, although some residual effect from all those hits over the years that that still endures.
But I love the fact that I’m in broadcasting, I have some business interest on the side, as I like to say my side hustles. So I’m super excited about those. But the broadcasting man and as I say on our shows, and I say to our guys all the time. This is our locker room. This is the only locker room we have left.
football season dude, I am. I am just through the roof. It’s similar to playing again, you got all these former jocks there and we’re telling the same lies, they get better and more grandiose every season. And it’s so much fun.
SH: You play a lot of charity events on the road when we’re talking about golf. What does golf bring that football never did for you?
Brian Jones: It’s challenging. Now football was challenging. But you eventually get the hang of it. You don’t progress to the highest level without figuring it out. And I’m a long way from figuring out golfing even at an amateur level.
I remember playing one year with the Colts. There was a little course we went to out there, Eagle-
SH: Creek, Eagle Creek right there by 56th. Street.
Brian Jones: Yes, yes. We went over there and started hacking around. Once my career ended, I went back to Austin, completed my degree and I started playing in all these charity tournaments. Because it seemed like there’s one every week and the weather is always conducive to playing. And I got hooked.
I had no clubs, I was using the buddies clubs and I got hooked. And the first thing I did after that round …the first thing I did was I went and bought golf shoes. My buddy Kenneth Sim still laughs at me to this day. Always says, “Here’s someone who just was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He goes and buys golf shoes first? Go buy the clubs.”
But I got hooked on that course in Indianapolis and in planning that initial charity golf tournament man, I was hooked.
SH: You played for our hometown team, the Indianapolis Colts. For the first season in the early 90s. How pissed are you, Brian Jones, that you missed the Manning years?
Brian Jones: Man, I missed some good years. They got much better after they got rid of me and in the guys, I played with. We went one and 15 in 91. Something like that. It was bad. And then my buddy Eric Dickerson, the best man on the team, was suspended for the majority of the season. Yeah, so that made it even more of an uphill climb. But you know, that’s this game.
SH: I want to circle back on something real quick with Brian. Today, knowing these NFL players and watching them, some of them from college to the NFL. Just incredible names. How many of you are out there playing together now today and remaining close? Does golf bring these guys back together?
Brian Jones: Yes, it does. I played a couple of weeks ago with Ray Crittenden, he played in the pros and went to school at Virginia Tech. He brought his buddy, Sean. I can’t recall Sean’s last name but Sean’s a former major league baseball player. I played just the other day here in Wellington. I mentioned Pierre Garcon. He played, there were several former baseball players there, and there’s a ton of basketball players who play because it’s so challenging.
That’s what gets you about this game. It’s just mind-boggling. Everything I utilize playing linebacker in the NFL does nothing for me in this game, because the easier you swing, the further it goes and that doesn’t register to an old meathead like myself.
And I’m telling myself Slow down, slow down, follow through and for some reason, I say that on my backswing as I’m coming through, I forget everything I just said. I swing too damn fast coming through the ball and of course, you know, chili dip or do something like that.
I think it’s that challenging nature. And that’s what feeds us. There’s a competitive spirit that’s within a bunch of guys who’ve played at the highest level, no matter which sport we’re discussing. It’s so frustrating because you’ve mastered one game. You think, “Oh, hey, I can do this.”
The golf ball is sitting still. The ball is sitting just right there. It’s not running from you. It’s not trying to block you. It’s not a 300-pound lineman, it’s right there. And yet, it defeats you more times than not.
That one shot was what brings us back. That one where you just hit it on the sweet spot. It’s like a good tackle. The best tackles are the ones you don’t even feel when you feel nothing. It’s the same with golf. It’s a phenomenal sport.
SH: Last question for you, Brian Jones. Romo. Tony Romo is the best example to date of somebody that was a star on the field in the broadcast booth and on the golf course. Does that annoy you?
Brian Jones: You know what annoys me? That little damn Tiger Woods’ son, with the sweetest swing. He can knock it twice as far as me sitting, here six-three and 230 pounds, a hulking beast. And I’ve got nothing.
He hits his nine iron farther than I hit my driver. The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree so that’s not surprising.
I give Barkley grief because he still has an ugly swing. I can kick his ass, I just ain’t gonna bet with him because he’ll find a way to win and I don’t have that much money.
But no, it doesn’t bother me. I don’t begrudge anyone that’s going out and being able to perfect this game it’s a great sport.