Art Jones’ life philosophy revolves around a simple phrase: Everything happens for a reason. It’s a cliché, but one that has guided Jones through life’s toughest times, including the death of his sister when he was in the eighth grade. This mantra provides Jones with undying faith in the world, for he profoundly knows that an unseen higher power has a master plan. For the son of a pastor, spiritual belief provides a backbone, a foundation.

For a brief moment one fateful February day, this core value was challenged. About two months had passed since Jones decided to forgo the NFL Draft and return to Syracuse for his senior season. He may have been a second-round pick, which likely would have led to a substantial payday.

Jones was in the weight room, with his brother, Chandler, nearby. On each side of Jones rested five 45-pound discs – 500 pounds in total of sheer resistance to bench press. ‘I was trying to lift the whole weight room,’ said Jones, Syracuse’s star defensive tackle.

He tried one rep too many. He felt a pop in his chest. At first, Jones thought it was just a charley horse. Then he looked down and knew it was something more. It was a torn pectoral muscle that required surgery – a diagnosis severe enough to provoke thoughts of doomsday for any athlete. But then he remembered his time-tested chorus.

‘I believe God has a plan for me, and everything happens for a reason,’ Jones said. ‘If that happened right after the season or right around the combine, I could have gone seventh round to free agent. So it definitely was a blessing.’

Jones is healthy now, back to lead the Orange’s defensive line. Instead of bolting for the allure of professional football, Jones chose to stay in school and instantly becomes one of the best players in the Big East. As he rehabbed from his injury for six long months, he couldn’t help but consider how lucky he really was. Quickly, Jones’ faith was restored.

The decision to remain at Syracuse was far more complicated than Jones likes to let on. He was already a hot commodity after the 2007 season, when he burst onto the scene with 17.5 tackles for loss. His performance on one of the grandest stages in the sport only proved his value. He exploded for 15 tackles in SU’s stunning 24-23 win at Notre Dame last year. Suddenly, the entire country knew Art Jones’ name.

From that day on, Jones’ phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Everybody wanted a piece of him. The NFL seemed like the best option. His stock may never have been higher. ‘After the Notre Dame game, I had at least one foot really out the door,’ Jones said.

Yet he remained conflicted. Jones tried to hide it, but everybody knew it. Fellow defensive lineman Jared Kimmel said he sensed the magnitude of the decision weighing on Jones’ mind. Chandler Jones, a redshirt freshman on SU’s defensive line felt it, too, but wasn’t always sure what to say. He wanted more than anything the experience of playing alongside his brother, but didn’t want to deny Art of his lifelong dream, not to mention the potential of earning millions of dollars. And as much as Jones coveted the opportunity to play in the NFL, the possibility of playing with Chandler presented a certain appeal and made leaving a year early that much tougher.

‘One thing I said to him is that it is going to be a unique opportunity to play with your brother,’ defensive line coach Derrick Jackson said. ‘It’s going to be pretty neat, whether it’s game one or game 12, sometime down the line, you and Chandler are going to be on the field together. And at some point hopefully, we have a meeting of the two Jones brothers at the quarterback, so they can say, ‘Jones and Jones on the tackle.”

It was an interesting notion, and a prospect that undoubtedly began alleviating Jones’ confusion. Meeting new head coach Doug Marrone was the final convincing he needed.

‘There are certain looks (Marrone) gives you, things that he does that just shakes you,’ Chandler Jones said. ‘When he put that look on us when we went through that door, Art just knew he had to come back, because he just knew this guy was for real.’

Jones announced his decision at a press conference less than two weeks after Marrone was hired. Marrone called Jones the first recruit of his tenure as the Orange’s new coach. First, Jones phoned Chandler and told him he was coming back to help the program. Chandler could not contain his happiness.

Throughout the summer Marrone has maintained he is not the reason Jones decided to stay, and he did not try to sway Jones’ decision. Jackson, too, stressed that while he offered himself as a resource, he did not try and convince Jones one way or the other.

Not like either of them were complaining with Jones’ choice. They may not have said it then, but they knew just how important Jones would be to Syracuse’s defense this season. The Orange had its star back.

‘When he told me he was coming back, I had as big a smile as you could have,’ Jackson said. ‘Well, I don’t know if it was me or coach Marrone – we both had pretty big smiles on our faces.’

Jones didn’t stay to suffer through another long year of misery and disappointment. The novel concept of winning brought him to the weight room in February, trying to bench 500 pounds.

In a way, what happened was a sad example of irony. Kimmel said that when Jones chose to remain at SU, the one thing he feared was an injury. Of course, he suffered an injury. Jones said it was the only time he ever questioned his decision.

When Jones heard the prognosis, though, it all made sense. The doctors realized quickly that the muscle tear was not career threatening, that Jones would be back on the field by training camp. The doctors cleared Jones to play on Aug. 9, one day before the first summer practice. He thought back to when he was struggling with his decision, realizing what his fate would have been if he got hurt after leaving Syracuse. The great NFL career he planned could have been derailed before ever beginning.

Now Jones has a chance to improve his status even further. Another strong season could propel him into the first round of the draft, further proving he made the right choice. And if that happens, he’ll once again look to his faith and that magical phrase that continues to guide Jones through life.

It has not steered him wrong yet.

‘The NFL isn’t going anywhere, and this was a blessing in disguise,’ Jones said. ‘It’s humbling for me. It shows this childhood game can be taken away that quick. It makes me appreciate football. I always say that everything happens for a reason.’

jediamon@syr.edu

Published on September 2, 2009 at 12:00 pm