The Patriots are on their bye week, but Jonathan Jones is not one to slow down.
The veteran New England cornerback has been plenty busy, too, adding an international trip to Germany on top of the team's typical workload and life off the field with three young children.
But between football and family, he always has time for philanthropy. The last two weeks, however, saw Jones set a new standard – even for himself. Fittingly, he was honored at the 18th annual Hockomock Area YMCA Legends Ball on Friday, Nov. 3, and the last two weeks have been a good example why.
"It genuinely is an honor to be here and to be involved with a program like this that aligns with everything that my life has been," the two-time Super Bowl champion said in a speech at the gala.
"I've been afforded opportunities. I've always prided myself on saying I'm a product of help. Every opportunity I get to step out into the community and use my time and give my money, I feel like I'm bringing it full circle to the individuals who have helped me to get where I am."
When Jones says every opportunity, he means it, and it's a reason he earned the Patriots' prestigious Ron Burton Community Service Award this year.
It would have been understandable for him to use his one day off last week to pack for a long road trip to Frankfurt, Germany with the team. Instead, he was at Gillette Stadium, pouring into kids.
Along with the Patriots Foundation, Bridgestone, and the Play Like a Girl! organization, Jones hosted an interactive Girls' Flag Football Field Day – launching a season-long initiative to empower young women through sports and STEM. He even called in the Boston Renegades, Boston's champion women's tackle football team, to help back him up.
Jones, in 2022, became the first male ambassador for Play Like a Girl!, stemmed from all the community work he does through his charity, the Jonathan Jones Next Step Foundation, to ensure his daughter Skylar and girls her age see their fullest potential.
He's hosted events like this dating back to last season, not to mention, donated STEM labs to local area elementary schools.
This Wednesday, during the bye week, Jones held yet another event to inspire local kids.
His second-annual Thanksgiving Impact Event featured flag football games for kids at the Berkshire Partners Blue Hill Boys & Girls Club in Dorchester, inviting 300 families for an evening of fun.
He assured no one went home hungry, serving a delicious Thanksgiving dinner to everyone in attendance.
As an undrafted free agent, he sees himself in the children he helps and knows how much events like these would have meant to him.
"I don't know if you know, but when you're undrafted, that means nobody wanted you," Jones said, wrapping up his speech at the Legend's Ball.
"But the key is I was getting an opportunity. With this program, that's what these kids are getting. They're getting an opportunity to be involved, an opportunity to feel like they belong, and an opportunity to show their purpose."
