A Former Houston Cougar is Now A Super Bowl Champion
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It was Super Bowl Sunday on February 7, and the Seattle Seahawks completely dominated the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl LX to win their second championship in franchise history.
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III won MVP thanks to his 161 total yards, and the Seattle defense forced three turnovers of Drake Maye, including a pick-six.
There was Houston Cougars representation on both teams in Super Bowl 60, with Patriots cornerback and punt returner Marcus Jones and offensive tackle Josh Jones. However, only one of them was able to come out on top.
Josh Jones, Super Bowl Champion
Jones played three snaps in the Super Bowl as a backup offensive tackle for the Seahawks. At the end of the day, he was able to play in the biggest game of the sport and earn a Super Bowl ring with Seattle. The 28-year-old had 258 total snaps in the regular season and only allowed two sacks.
The last Houston player to win a Super Bowl was former standout linebacker Elandon Roberts, who last won Super Bowl 53 in 2019 with the Patriots. He also won Super Bowl 51 in 2017 with New England as well.
Jones played college football at Houston from 2015-2019 and was one of the mainstays on its offensive line. He is from Richmond, Texas, just outside of the Houston area, and played at Fort Bend Bush High School. Jones was a three-star recruit and earned first-team all-district honors.
After redshirting in his first season, Jones was one of the most active offensive linemen on the team and was consistent in playing time. He played 13 games in 2016 and 2018, and 10 in 2017 and nine in 2019. In Jones’ redshirt senior season, he was one of the better offensive linemen in the country and was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, which goes to the best interior lineman.
Jones allowed only one sack that season and was named an American Athletic All-Conference selection. He was also invited to the 2020 Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. Jones was eventually selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-7, 339-lb tackle is an intimidating figure, and Jones played just over three seasons for the Cardinals before he was traded to the Houston Texans in 2023. The 72nd overall pick in 2020 spent one season for his hometown team before playing the 2024 season with the Baltimore Ravens. Jones signed as a free agent with the Seahawks for a one-year, $4.75 million deal, and this was his first season in Seattle.
The Super Bowl was the only playoff game where Jones saw action, as he was inactive for Seattle’s divisional round game against the San Francisco 49ers with a knee injury and did not play a snap in the NFC Championship game.
Jones is now a veteran in the NFL, having spent six seasons in the league. It will be interesting to see if he’ll stay with the Super Bowl champions for next season.
Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.