Deacon Jones
He didn't just sack quarterbacks; he invented the term 'sack' and terrorized offenses with a ferocity that redefined defensive play.
1938–2013 (age 75)·American football player·Birthday: December 9·The Silent Generation
Biography
Deacon Jones emerged from the Florida orange groves and a small college to become the most feared defensive end of his era. With the Los Angeles Rams' 'Fearsome Foursome,' his combination of raw power, explosive speed, and a patented head-slap move made him nearly unblockable. Off the field, Jones was a sharp, charismatic personality who coined the term 'sack' for tackling a quarterback behind the line, framing his own destructive artistry. His legacy is not just in his statistics—which were not officially kept during his prime—but in the permanent psychological edge he gave to defenses and the vivid vocabulary he brought to the game. He played with a joyful menace that turned pass-rushing into a spectacle.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Deacon was born in 1938, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Deacon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1938
#1 Movie
You Can't Take It with You
Best Picture
You Can't Take It with You
Deacon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1938Born
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1943Started school
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1951Became a teenager
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1954Could drive
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1956Could vote
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Turned 21
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1968Turned 30
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 40
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 50
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 60
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 70
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2013Died at 75
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, a first-ballot recognition of his defensive dominance.
- Named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, cementing his status as one of the greatest defensive players ever.
- Won two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards (1967, 1968) at a time when the honor overwhelmingly went to offensive stars.
- Selected for eight Pro Bowls and was a five-time First-team All-Pro during his 14-season career.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Deacon' was invented to sound more imposing for the Rams' roster, as he felt his given name, David, was too plain.
He worked as a nightclub bouncer during the NFL off-seasons early in his career.
Jones estimated he had over 170 sacks in his career, though the stat was not officially recorded until after his retirement.
He had a brief acting career after football, appearing on TV shows like 'The Brady Bunch' and 'The Odd Couple.'
“The sack is like a nuclear bomb. It's a devastating play. It just destroys the other team's offensive drive.”
