Ex-49er’s career had nice rings to it
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Brent Jones earned three Super Bowl rings in his 11-year career. (San Francisco 49ers photo)
Brent Jones has been there and won that, so he knows exactly how Kyle DeVan is feeling this week as the 2003 Vacaville High School graduate prepares to play in “the mother of all big games.”
DeVan’s first season with the Indianapolis Colts will culminate with his first Super Bowl. The Colts will seek their second title in four years – and second in Miami – on Sunday at Sun Life Stadium.
Super Bowl XXIII
Miami was also the site of Jones’ first Super Bowl appearance with the San Francisco 49ers in 1989. Jones had to battle his nerves even though he did not expect to play much as John Frank’s backup at tight end.
Jones can only imagine the butterflies swarming in DeVan’s stomach because DeVan will start at right guard for the Colts.
Brent Jones
“There’s no way he can’t be wide-eyed being a first-year player,” Jones said. “His gut’s probably doing somersaults. This is the mother of all big games. You can’t help but be nervous.”
Super Bowl XXIV
All the jitters were worth it for Jones and the 49ers, who rallied to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 20-16 when Joe Montana fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to John Taylor with 34 seconds to play.
“If you’re going to win a Super Bowl, that’s absolutely the way to win it,” Jones recalled.
The 49ers returned to the Super Bowl in 1990, and Jones caught a 7-yard scoring pass from Montana as the 49ers demolished the Denver Broncos 55-10 in New Orleans.
Super Bowl XXIX
Jones collected his third Super Bowl ring in Miami when the 49ers routed the San Diego Chargers 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX. With the 49ers leading 42-10 in the third quarter, Jones said he and some of his teammates asked NFL officials to go ahead and distribute the championship hats.
“We were fighting with the NFL,” Jones joked.
His NFL career came to an end after the 1997 season, Jones’ 11th with the 49ers. He then went to work for CBS, spending one year on the “The NFL Today” show and six as a game analyst.
CBS offered Jones a three-year contract extension in 2005, but he turned it down because he wanted to stay home with his wife Dana and their two daughters. Rachel was a senior and Courtney a sophomore at Monte Vista High School in Danville.
“You don’t get any do-overs with your kids. I didn’t want to miss the fun stuff,” said Jones, who is now a managing director of the Northgate Capital investment firm that he co-founded in 2000.
When Jones travels these days, it is to watch Courtney play soccer for the University of North Carolina. The Tar Heels are the two-time defending NCAA champions.
Jones will celebrate his 47th birthday on Friday and looks forward to the second half of his life being as productive as the first. He left football on his terms, and with three Super Bowl rings to boot.
“I did what every player wants to do,” he said. “It’s the perfect plan.”
