Hospitalized Missouri Offensive Lineman in Need of Heart Transplant: ‘He Does Need Help in a Hurry’

Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said the team learned the distressing news about freshman offensive lineman Johnnie “DJ” Jones last week.

The Missouri Tigers are rallying around Johnnie Jones, a freshman offensive lineman in need of a heart transplant. | USA TODAY Sports

Missouri freshman offensive lineman Johnnie “DJ” Jones is in need of a heart transplant and is hospitalized in Jacksonville, Fla., Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said Tuesday.

Jones’s heart issue was initially discovered by Missouri’s medical staff during freshman testing in the summer, but the staff didn’t find a resolution they were comfortable with after a couple weeks of closely monitoring Jones, a former four-star recruit out of Venice, Fla.

It was at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, where Jones was sent, when doctors found an issue that was far more pressing. Drinkwitz said he and the team found out last week that Jones is in need of a heart transplant.

Gut-wrenching news at today's #Mizzou press conference: freshman offensive lineman Johnnie "DJ" Jones is on a heart transplant list, after freshmen intake tests detected a problem.

"It's tough right now," HC Eli Drinkwitz said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his… pic.twitter.com/80xDWlBJsF

— Nathalie Jones (@NathalieABC17) October 6, 2026

The Tigers are coming off of a 45–17 win over the eighth-ranked Florida Gators, a decisive top-10 victory that vaulted Missouri from No. 25 to No. 14 in the weekly AP Top 25 rankings, and one that Drinkwitz took the time in the aftermath of to pay tribute to Jones in his time of need.

“I want to give a shout-out to Johnnie Jones,” Drinkwitz said on the ABC broadcast during his postgame interview. “DJ, we love you, man. We’re praying for you. We’ll see you.”

Jones is part of a Tigers’ 2025 recruiting class widely considered to be among the best in the country.

#NSD26 X @johnnie_jones6 pic.twitter.com/WcbGhwt9qJ

— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) December 3, 2025

“I know Johnnie was watching our game,” Drinkwitz, who became emotional during his Tuesday news conference, said. “It’s just hard. [He’s] an 18-year-old with everything in front of him, and you’re just not prepared for that kind of news.

“Our team wasn’t prepared for that kind of news. We’re praying for him, and I know a lot of Mizzou fans will hopefully join in that prayer because he does need help in a hurry.”

Missouri takes on Texas A&M at noon ET on Saturday.

---

PODCAST: Listen to Sports Illustrated’s college sports podcast, Others Receiving Votes, hosted by Pat Forde, on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s college YouTube channel or on SI TV.