The state of Virginia is a big contributor of

participants in this week's Super Bowl with five former high school standouts

from the state participating. Those are Ruben Brown OG (E.C. Glass, Lynchburg);

Thomas Jones RB (Powell Valley, Big Stone Gap); Dexter Reid DB (Granby); John

St. Clair OT (Fleming, Roanoke); Terrence Wilkins WR (Bishop O'Connell,

Alexandria).

Jones had perhaps the top high school career of

that group, helping Powell Valley win two state titles, and setting numerous

rushing and scoring records along the way.  

When asked how he will prepare this week for

the Super Bowl, Jones revealed that he watches a lot of game film.  And

while he will be watching tape of the Indianapolis Colts defense this week, he

admitted that he will watch film of something else this week - of himself.

"I watch a lot of my tape — I won two state championships in high school,"

the former Powell Valley (Va.) H.S. standout said. "I'll watch those tapes

three or four times just to have that feeling of being a champion and winning

everything.

"I'd go so far as to say a lot of guys on this team have won state

championships in high school or played for a national championship. They might

want to bring something out of that part of their life to give them motivation,

and to give them that feeling of winning."

Below is a recap of Jones' football career to

date:

PERSONAL: Finished prep career at Powell Valley H.S. in Big Stone Gap, Va. with single-season state rushing records for yardage (3,319 in 1994), TDs (49 in 1995) and career TDs (104 from 1992-95)... Featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" in January 1996... Also lettered 4 years in basketball and track... Rushed for 462 yards in a single game as a junior... Son of Thomas and Betty Jones is 1-of-7 children... Younger brother Julius is a third-year RB with the Dallas Cowboys... Uncle Ed Clark played football at Purdue and with the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the CFL.

COLLEGE: Developed into one of nation's finest RBs at Virginia (1996-99), concluding his career ranked 4th on the ACC's career list with 3,998 yards rushing which broke Virginia's career mark of 3,389 yards held by current N.Y. Giants RB Tiki Barber... Produced second-most 100-yard games (18) in Cavalier history while holding the ACC record with 6 career 200-yard rushing performances... Also established UVA career records with 809 carries, 36 rushing TDs and 40 total TDs... Streak of 16 consecutive games scoring at least 1 TD (1997-99) set another ACC record... Received All-ACC first team and ACC Player-of-the-Year honors as a senior while finishing among the 3 finalists for the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation's top college RB... Finished 8th in Heisman Trophy balloting... Ranked 3rd in nation in rushing (163.5 avg.) and all-purpose yardage (187.6 avg.)... Set school single-season record with 334 carries for 1,798 yards and 16 TDs while amassing an ACC single-season record 2,054 all-purpose yards... First player in ACC history to reach 200 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in 1 game with 32 carries for 221 yards and 110 yards on 2 receptions, including an 84-yard scoring play, vs. Buffalo... First team All-ACC as a junior with 238 carries for 1,303 yards and 11 TDs... Earned bachelor's degree in psychology in May 1999, leaving him to compete during his senior season as a graduate student. 

PRO CAREER: Hard-working veteran ball carrier has produced the best 2 seasons of his NFL career during his 2 years with Chicago... Since joining Bears in 2004, has rushed for 2,288 yards - the best consecutive seasons by a Bears RB since Neal Anderson gained 2,333 yards from 1989-90... Ranked 9th in the NFL in rushing in 2005 with a career-high 1,335 yards to become the only Bears RB other than Walter Payton to eclipse the 1,300-yard plateau... Recorded 9th-best single-season rushing total in franchise history while establishing a career-high in rushing yards for the fifth-straight season... Averaged 1,427 yards from scrimmage over last 2 seasons which is 36.0-percent of Chicago offense, the 2nd-highest rate in the NFL during that time (Tiki Barber, NYG, 42.7%)... Surpassed 5,000 total yards from scrimmage for his career during 2005, totaling 1,053 career rush attempts for 4,174 yards with 28 TDs while gaining 1,222 receiving yards on 179 career catches... Owns 12 career 100-yard rushing games while surpassing 100 total yards from scrimmage 18 times in his career... Established career-best rushing totals for 3-games (382 yards from 9/18 to 10/9/05) and 4-games (471 yards from 9/18 to 10/16/05) in his second Bears season, breaking the records he set in 2004... Grabbed 82 receptions with the Bears, most over a 2-year span by a Chicago RB since Neal Anderson snagged 89 passes from 1991-92... Broke Walter Payton's single-season Bears record for receptions by a RB with 56 in 2004... Joined Bears after recording then-career-highs of 627 rushing yards and 1,078 combined yards with Tampa Bay in 2003, leading the Buccaneers in rushing in 5 of the last 8 games while averaging 4.8 yards per carry (113 carries, 548 yards) and recording a pair of 100-yard games... Totaled 1,264 yards and 9 TDs on 362 carries while starting 15-of-39 games played over his first 3 NFL seasons with the Cardinals. 

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Entered NFL as a first-round selection (seventh overall) by Arizona in the 2000 NFL Draft... Placed on reserve/non-football injury list (11/26/02)... Traded to Tampa Bay (6/13/03) for WR Marquise Walker... Signed 4-year contract as a free agent with Chicago (3/4/04). SIGNED through 2007 

2005 SEASON: The ninth-leading rusher in the NFL established career-highs in games started (15) rush attempts (314), rushing yards (1,335) and touchdowns (9) en route to becoming just the second RB in Bear history to rush for over 1,300 yards in a season (Walter Payton)... Set personal bests with 1,478 yards from scrimmage while accounting for 36-percent of Chicago's offense... Became the 10th Bears RB to surpass the 1,000-yard plateau with the first 1,000-yard effort of his career... Gained over 100 yards rushing in career-best 5 contests and led Chicago with 12 rushing gains of 20 or more yards, the most ground gains of 20 or more yards in a season by a Bears player in the last 22 years... Ranked 6th on Chicago with 26 catches for 143 yards... Started at RB in Games 1-8, 10-16; Inactive Game 9 due to rib injury... Started second consecutive season opener at WASH (9/11), gaining 31 yards on 15 carries with 1 TD and caught 2 passes for 14 yards... Picked up 8th career 100-yard game after gaining 139 yards on 20 carries with 2 TDs vs. DET (9/18); 3rd most rushing yards of career; added 19 yards on 2 receptions... Tallied over 100 yards for second-straight week with 106 yards and 1 TD on 27 carries vs. CIN (9/25)... Posted 10th career 100-yard game and third consecutive with 137 yards on 24 carries at CLE (10/9); left game in 4th quarter due to knee injury... Rushed for 2 TDs and 89 yards on 23 carries vs. MIN (10/16)... Gained 139 yards on 25 carries vs. BALT (10/23), the 5th-most ever against a Ravens defense... Totaled 97 yards from scrimmage at DET (10/30) after rushing for 72 yards and gaining 25 yards on 3 receptions... Carried 11 times for 40 yards in 1st half at NO (11/6) before suffering a rib injury... Returned from rib injury to gain 87 yards on 25 carries vs. CAR (11/20) and its No. 2-ranked run defense... Totaled 122 yards from scrimmage with 72 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards on 3 catches at TB (11/27)... Rushed 93 yards on 19 carries vs. GB (12/4) to record his first career 1,000-yard season... Gained 95 yards from scrimmage at PIT (12/11) on 72 rushing yards with 1 TD and 23 receiving yards on 4 receptions... Tallied 91 yards on 27 rushes vs. ATL (12/18) to surpass 4,000 career rushing yards and scored Bears' lone TD... Carried 25 times for 105 yards with 1 TD at GB (12/25); his fourth 100-yard performance in 6 career games vs. GB... Gained 62 yards on 12 carries at MIN (1/1) to pass 1,300 yards... Totaled 80 yards on 20 carries with a long of 24 and 30 receiving yards with a long of 27 vs. CAR (1/15/06) in Divisional Playoff. GAMES PLAYED-STARTED: 15-15 

PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2004 -- Began his Bears career by setting new career standards in rush attempts (240), rushing yards (948), touchdowns (7), receptions (56), receiving yards (427) and average yards per reception (7.6)... Started all 14 games played, missing Games 8-9 with a sprained foot... Accumulated 1,375 total yards from scrimmage and accounted for 36% of the Bears total offense, second-highest percentage in the NFL (T. Barber, 44%)... Became first Bears player since Neal Anderson in 1989 to lead the team in both rushing yards and receptions... His 56 catches ranked 3rd in the NFL among RBs and broke Walter Payton's franchise record of 53 receptions by a RB set in 1983... Rushed for over 100 yards 4 times after cracking the 100-yard mark only 3 times in his previous 55 career games... Rushed for 2 TDs and compiled 105 total yards vs. DET (9/12) in Bears debut, rushing for 67 yards on 21 carries and catching team-high 6 passes for 38 yards; 2-of-2 on third-and-1 and produced 7 first downs (6 rush, 1 receive)... Tallied 152 yards rushing on 23 carries with a season-long 54-yarder and a 1-yard TD at GB (9/19)... Gained 110 yards on 22 rushes at MIN (9/26) with a 1-yard TD run, rushing for over 100 yards in consecutive games; set career-highs for receptions and yards with team-highs of 8 catches for 71 yards... Totaled 119 yards from scrimmage vs. WASH (10/17) rushing for 97 yards on 24 carries with team-high 2 receptions for 22 yards... Gained 1 yard on first play vs. SF (10/31) before leaving game following with a sprained foot... Inactive at NYG (11/7) and at TEN (11/14) due to injury... Gained 82 yards in return vs. IND (11/21), including team-high 4 receptions for 23 yards... Totaled 94 yards at DAL (11/25) with team highs of 46 yards on 14 carries and 6 catches for 48 yards... Gained 49 yards rushing vs. MIN (12/5); added 22 receiving yards on 3 catches... Tallied 94 total yards from scrimmage at JAX (12/12), gaining team-high 68 yards on 3 catches including career-long 45 yard reception... Compiled 143 total yards from scrimmage at DET (12/26) rushing 22 times for 109 yards and team-high 34 receiving yards on 4 catches... Rushed for 2 TDs and gained 108 yards on 26 carries vs. GB (1/2/05). 2003 -- Played all 16 games in lone season in Tampa Bay and recorded the second-most productive season ever for a Buccaneers RB with at least 100 attempts by averaging 4.6 yards per carry... Strong 2nd-half of season in which he rushed for 548 yards propelled him to his fourth consecutive campaign as his team's second-leading rusher, totaling a 627 yards and team-high 3 TDs on 137 carries... Contributed in the return game for the first time in his career, ranking 2nd on Bucs with 271 return yards on 17 kickoffs with a long of 25... Started 3 of final 4 games, rushing 84 times for 364 yards and 1 TD... Made Tampa debut at PHI (9/8), rushing 10 times for 30 yards and catching 2 passes for 10 yards... Rushed 5 times for 33 yards at WASH (10/12)... Caught season-long 29-yard pass vs. NO (11/2)... Made debut as team's primary kickoff returner at CAR (11/9) with 5 returns for 76 yards... Erupted for season-high 134 yards on 9 carries vs. GB (11/16), including runs of 61 and 51 yards to make him the first RB in Bucs history with 2 runs of over 50 yards in a single game... Scored first TD as a Buc vs. NYG (11/24) on a 1-yard run... Rushed for 5-yard TD at JAX (11/30)... Posted team-high 89 rushing yards on 20 carries at NO (12/7) in his first start... Tied season-high with 134 rushing yards vs. HOU (12/14) with a career-high 34 carries and an 18-yard TD... Started vs. ATL (12/20) and led team with 17 carries for 73 yards... Totaled team-high 125 combined yards at TEN (12/28) with team-high 68 yards on 13 carries, adding 4 catches for 32 yards and contributing 25 kickoff return yards on 2 returns. 2002 -- Opened season by bursting out to the NFC rushing lead with 300 yards after 3 games, before injuries limited him to ranking as Arizona's second-leading rusher for the third consecutive season... Started all 9 games in which he played, all in the first 11 weeks of the season, while rushing for 511 yards and 2 TDs on a career-high 138 carries... Ranked 7th in receiving with 20 catches for 113 yards... Opened season with 17 carries for 54 yards at WASH (9/8)... Exploded for career highs of 173 yards and 24 carries at SEA (9/15), including a season-long 58-yard TD... Totaled 73 yards on 17 carries vs. SD (9/22)... Inactive at CAR (10/6) with an ankle injury... Scored on a 7-yard TD run at SF (10/27) among 54 rushing yards on 15 carries... Set season highs with 4 catches for 31 yards vs. STL (11/3)... Had season ended by a broken bone in his hand (11/22). 2001 -- Cardinals second-leading rusher with 380 yards and 5 TDs on 112 carries while playing all 16 games with 2 starts... Arizona's sixth-leading receiver and 2nd among RBs with 21 for 151 yards... Started season opener vs. DEN (9/23) and totaled 65 yards and a 1-yard TD on 17 carries... Gained 21 yards on 4 carries and caught 4 passes for season-high 53 yards in start vs. ATL (9/30)... Came off the bench at CHI (10/14) to total 6 carries for 14 yards and 2 catches for 27 yards... Totaled 7 rushes for 26 yards vs. KC (10/21), including a 13-yard TD run... Scored 3-yard TD run vs. DET (11/18)... Posted 10 carries for 36 yards, including a 5-yard TD, at OAK (12/2)... Collected season-best 69 rushing yards on 16 carries at CAR (12/30). 2000 -- Played 14 games as a rookie with Arizona, starting 4, while finishing as the team's second-leading rusher with 373 yards and 2 TDs on 112 carries... Ranked 4th on club in receiving with 32 catches for 208 yards... Began campaign as starting RB but pneumonia and pleurisy kept him out of 2 of the last 4 contests... Made first NFL start in season opener at NYG (9/3), producing 16 yards on 12 carries and 18 yards on 4 receptions... Opened vs. DAL (9/10) with 8 carries for 23 yards during the opening possession en route to season highs of 70 yards and 23 carries... Scored first NFL TD on a 4-yard run at SF (10/1) among 10 carries for 36 yards... Posted a 10-yard TD run vs. CLE (10/8)... Carried 3 times for 35 yards with a season-long of 29 at PHI (10/15)... Led team in rushing at DAL (10/22) with 50 yards on 11 attempts... Battled walking pneumonia leading up to game at PHI (11/19); totaled 38 receiving yards on 3 catches despite managing just 1 carry for 2-yard loss.