Toya Jones, Former Texas A&M Football and Track Star, Dies at 49

Toya Jones, a former football and track standout at Texas A&M University, died on Thursday at the age of 49. Jones had been placed in hospice care on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack the previous weekend.

During his time with the Aggies from 1995 to 1998, Jones was a key defensive back. He is remembered for a game-saving tackle in the 1998 Big 12 title game against Kansas State, a game Texas A&M ultimately won in double overtime. That senior season marked the last conference championship for the Aggies football team.

Beyond football, Jones was also a decorated track and field athlete. He was inducted into the Texas Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2020, having earned 17 medals and three state championships during his high school career. In college, he was part of the 1997 NCAA champion 400-meter relay team.

Jones had brief stints in NFL training camps but did not play in a regular-season NFL game. He also played professionally in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the XFL.

Former MLB pitcher Randy Keisler, a close friend of Jones, shared his grief on Facebook, describing Jones as "the funniest guy I’ve ever known" with a "positive outlook on life" and an "infectious smile and sense of humor."

Sirr Parker, Jones’ college football teammate and roommate, also posted on Facebook, reflecting on their "31-year friendship." Parker remembered Jones as "one of the greatest guys you’d meet, with a smile that could light up the room and a personality that kept us all laughing."