Texas legend, ex-NFL wide receiver and Olympic gold medalist Johnny Lam Jones has died. (Facebook)
Olympic gold medalist and former NFL wide receiver Johnny “Lam” Jones has died, the University of Texas Athletics announced on Friday. He was 60.
Jones was a member of the U.S. Olympic Track team and won a gold medal in the 4x100 meter relay in 1976, when he was 18.
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Jones was also a celebrated college athlete. He played wide receiver and running back for the University of Texas Longhorns. He was named the MVP in 1978 and received All-American honors twice, in 1978 and 1979. Jones was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor in 1994.
He was the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft in 1980 and was picked up by the New York Jets. He played five seasons with the Jets, finishing with 2,322 yards and 13 touchdowns, USA Today reported.
The Olympian was diagnosed with Stage 4 multiple myeloma in 2005. The University of Texas said he died “after a lengthy battle with cancer.”
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"He will be sorely missed but certainly not forgotten," University of Texas football coach Tom Herman said.