Steve Jones: Big Red Super Sub

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Bob Underwood

Steve Jones experienced both good times and hard times in his National Football League career.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound running back was a 5th-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams in 1973 but was slowed by a hamstring injury and traded to St. Louis in training camp.

During his brief stay with the Cardinals, Jones impressed some coaches, but there was no room in a crowded backfield that included Terry Metcalf, Jim Otis, Donnie Anderson, Ken Willard, and Eddie Moss.

“I was beginning to pick up the St. Louis system,” Jones told The News and Observer in a 1973 interview. “They liked the way I was playing. And I know Larry Wilson was upset when I was put on waivers.”

After being release by St. Louis, Jones signed with the Buffalo Bills but didn’t see much action playing behind O.J. Simpson.

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Big Red Alumni Gather for Annual Christmas Party

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Bob Underwood

Several former St. Louis Football Cardinals alumni recently gathered in Chesterfield for the annual Christmas Party. Among those in attendance were Coach Jim Hanifan, Johnny Roland, Mel Gray, Jackie Smith, Bob Rowe, Mark Arneson, Tim Kearney, Ron Yankowski, Ernie McMillan, Eddie Moss, Mike Wood, Terry Miller, Eric Williams, Keith Wortman, Willard Harrell, Jim Otis, Herschel Turner, Tim Van Galder, Jerry Holloway, former Big Red PA announcer Jim Holder, former Mizzou and Dallas Cowboys player Howard Richards, former MIzzou and Raiders player Gus Otto, and Big Red Line cheerleader Melodee Hinkle.

Johnny Roland, Jackie Smith, Ernie McMillan
Coach Hanifan and Jackie Smith
Alderman Rocky Reitmeyer and Willard Harrell
Former Big Red PA Announcer Jim Holder and Bob Underwood
Tim Van Galder, Steve Jones and Ernie McMillan
Johnny Roland, Jackie Smith, Ernie McMillan and Coach Hanifan
Jackie Smith, Terry Miller and Ron Yankowski
Mark Arneson, Tim Kearney, Ron Yankowski, Bob Rowe, Terry Miller
Johnny Roland with the Big Red Cowboy Hat
Arneson, Yankowski, and Rowe
Mark Arneson and Terry Miller
Keith Wortman and Eric Williams
Eddie Moss and Rocky Reitmeyer
Jim Otis and Terry Miller
Roland, Smith, McMillan
Jim Otis and Ernie McMillan
Mark Arneson and Tim Kearney
Yankowski and Rowe
TVG, Jackie, Terry Miller, Yankowski, Wortman
Eric Williams
Coach Hanifan, Mel Gray, Sarah Jennings, and Bob Underwood
Eric Williams and Terry Miller
Tim Van Galder, Jackie Smith, Terry Miller, Ron Yankowski, and Keith Wortman

For The Birds — Steve Jones and the Cardinals

Posted on March 6, 2019 by Bob Underwood

Nice story on former Big Red running back Steve Jones who scored 9 TDs for the Cardinals in 1976.

Alex Podlogar

Steve Jones, from his days as one of the greatest Duke Blue Devils of all time.

I’m posting last week’s column in this space because, well, because I was pretty pleased with how it came out, and as a writer, that doesn’t always happen. So allow me to feel good about myself for a bit. And if you missed the column about local sports star Steve Jones and his ties to the NFL’s Cardinals, here you go:

For The Birds

They get together every year now.

Before 2007, that didn’t happen. After all, the morning after the team he owns, the Arizona Cardinals, punched its ticket for the franchise’s first Super Bowl, notoriously frugal owner Bill Bidwill drank day-old coffee — grounds that were made 24 hours earlier, and rewarmed twice.

But he said he drank it smiling, so there’s that.

Since Bill’s boy Michael took over football operations, though, former Cardinals, be they of the Chicago variety, who last won the franchise a championship…

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