Former Ohio State National Champion Joins Connecticut High School Football Staff

Cardale Jones, who hasn’t played football in three years, will soon begin his coaching gig with the Wreckers

Former Ohio State national champion quarterback Cardale Jones is joining the Staples High School football staff as a QB coach, the team announced on Tuesday. | Staples Football/X

Former Ohio State national champion quarterback Cardale Jones hasn’t played football in three years, but now he’s making the jump to coaching.

First Coaching Gig in Connecticut

Staples high school football (CT) announced Tuesday on social media that Jones will join the Wreckers’ staff as QB coach. It is Jones’ first coaching gig outside of his playing career.

Jones is part of a Staples’ squad that went 5-6 last season. The Wreckers lost 41-7 to eventual state champion Greenwich in the CIAC Class LL quarterfinals.

Staples will host Westhill in its season opener on Sept. 10.

Staples Football would like to welcome Coach Cardale Jones to the Coaching Staff as the QB Coach.

Coach Jones led Ohio State to a National Championship as starting QB, before playing four seasons in the NFL.

Coach Jones currently works for CBS Sports.

GO WRECKERS!! #cthsfb pic.twitter.com/pf08Awjwx8

— Staples Football (@StaplesFootbal1) September 1, 2026

Jones’ High School Playing Career

Jones starred at QB for Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio. The Tarblooders are led by longtime coach Ted Ginn Sr., the father of former Ohio State and NFL receiver Ted Ginn Jr.

In his two seasons as Glenville’s starting QB, Jones compiled a 24-3 record. He threw for 2,168 yards and 18 touchdowns, ran for 14 scores and guided the Tarblooders to the OHSAA Division I state championship game in 2009 

Jones compiled 1,689 passing yards and 22 TDs in his senior campaign, which led to him being named to the Associated Press third-team Division I all-state team.

National Championship Season at Ohio State

Jones entered the 2014 season as a redshirt sophomore for the Buckeyes and third on the QB depth chart behind Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett.

After no starts the entire regular season, Jones made his first college career start in the Big Ten Championship game, where he led No. 6 Ohio State to a 59-0 victory over No. 11 Wisconsin.

Jones and the Buckeyes went on to beat No. 1 Alabama 42-35 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, then knocked off Oregon in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship game.

Jones’ Pro Football Career

Following another season with the Buckeyes, Jones was picked 139th overall by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft. 

Jones played in one game for the Bills, spent a couple of years with the Los Angeles Chargers and appeared on the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad roster for a brief period.

In early 2020, Jones played for the DC Defenders of the now-defunct XFL. He completed 54% of his passes for 674 yards, four TDs and seven interceptions.

Jones also had brief stints with the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League and the Massachusetts Pirates (now the Orlando Pirates) of the Indoor Football League.