Florida State to Honor Marvin Jones with Retirement of his Jersey

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida State Director of Athletics Stan Wilcox announced Monday that the No. 55 jersey worn by two-time consensus All-American linebacker Marvin Jones will be retired during the upcoming Seminole home game against Miami on October 10.

Jones won both the Butkus and Lombardi Awards as a junior in 1992 and finished fourth in the balloting for the 1992 Heisman Trophy. He recorded 369 tackles over his three seasons with the Seminoles from 1990-92. Florida State finished fourth in the Associated Press poll in 1990 and 1991, and ranked second in 1992 with an 11-1 record and a 27-14 win over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. A graduate of Northwestern High in Miami, Jones was inducted into FSU's Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

"The retirement of Marvin's jersey is an honor representative of his outstanding Florida State career," Wilcox said. "He had a huge impact on Florida State football as one of the greatest linebackers ever to wear garnet and gold. It is only fitting that his No. 55 will become a permanent part of Doak Campbell Stadium."

Jones left FSU following his junior season and was selected with the fourth overall pick of the 1993 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played his entire 10-year professional career with the team and finished with 1,022 tackles over 142 games.

"There simply wasn't a better defensive player in college football than Marvin Jones during his time at Florida State," FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher said. "He was a leader and dominant playmaker for some all-time great Seminoles teams. Look at all his accomplishments: winning the Butkus, winning the Lombardi and finishing fourth in the voting for the Heisman. He had an incredible career and we are honored to retire his jersey this season."

Jones will become just the 10th FSU football player to be honored with the retirement of his number/jersey. He will join Seminole greats Fred Biletnikoff, Ron Sellers, Ron Simmons, Deion Sanders, Charlie Ward, Warrick Dunn, Chris Weinke, Derrick Brooks and Terrell Buckley.

Florida State began retiring the jersey rather than the number of its all-time great student-athletes beginning in 1997.

(Release from Florida State Athletics)