Viral NFL ref who protected Jaxon Smith-Njigba is former Cowboys standout

The Dallas Cowboys were soaking in the team's dominating Week 7 win over the Washington Commanders on Monday, but a former member of the franchise found his way into the NFL storylines when the Seattle Seahawks hosted the Houston Texans in the Monday Night Football doubleheader nightcap.

During the Seahawks' win, there was a sideline scuffle involving star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba was swarmed by Texans players on the bench, when a referee jumped in and shielded him from opponents to break up the fight.

That ref was none other than Nate Jones, who the Cowboys selected in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Jones spent four years with the Cowboys and has been an NFL official since 2019.

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It didn't take long for Cowboys Nation to realize that the viral referee was thee Nate Jones.

This official is Nate Jones.

Jones was a DB at Rutgers, was a 7th round pick of the Cowboys in 2004, and had a 7 year NFL career.

He's been an official since 2019.

Kudos to him for this and kudos to the ESPN crew who named him on the MNF broadcast. pic.twitter.com/vkBwqbbens
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) October 21, 2025

Well done, Mr. Jones. We may need the NFL to start creating more of a pathway for former NFL players to become referees and officials across the league.

Even when Jones was not in the picture, the Texans' defense had trouble getting their hands on Smith-Njigba all game. He finished the night with eight catches for 123 yards and a touchdown.

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From Stars to Stripes

W Nate Jones
W Ref https://t.co/8rgvBT0CKq pic.twitter.com/31kjFvIIKf
— SSN - Dallas Cowboys (@SSN_Cowboys) October 21, 2025

Jones was drafted by the Cowboys after starring at Rutgers. He played in all 16 games as a rookie, earning one start. During his rookie campaign, Jones recorded 31 tackles and a sack.

Throughout the rest of his time with the Cowboys, Jones was a primary backup and special teams ace. He finished second on the team in special teams tackles, and played in all 16 games as a backup.

Following his career with Dallas, Jones went on to have stints with the Miami Dolphins (twice), the Denver Broncos, and the New England Patriots.

Jones has worked as an NFL official since 2019. This season, he is part of NFL referee Carl Cheffers' crew, serving as a field judge. We'll have to see how he continues to climb the NFL refereeing ladder, especially after his newfound viral fame on Monday night.

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