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LSU to Retire All-American Quarterback Bert Jones' No. 7 Jersey
LSU will honor its first All-America quarterback, who led the Tigers to a 26-6-1 record and the 1970 SEC title.
On Wednesday, Louisiana State University announced that former quarterback Bert Jones will have his No. 7 jersey retired on Nov. 14 when LSU hosts the Texas Longhorns at Tiger Stadium.
Known as "The Ruston Rifle," Jones started for the Tigers from 1970 to 1972, leading the program to the 1970 SEC Championship and becoming the first LSU passer to exceed 3,000 yards in a career.
Selected in the 1973 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts, Jones spent nine seasons in the league, earning NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors in 1976 after leading the team to an 11-3 record.
The LSU Athletic Hall of Fame Committee unanimously approved the decision, making Jones the fifth player in program history to have his number retired, joining Billy Cannon and Tommy Casanova.
"I had no idea that there was anything in the works, so this is totally unsuspecting," Jones said, adding the recognition ranks "at the top of the list" among his career accolades.