Former Syracuse football star Chandler Jones sets the right example

Former Syracuse football sensation and Arizona Cardinals linebacker Chandler Jones has received his degree from Syracuse University, and that’s wonderful.

I don’t have a clue as to what the financial situation of former Syracuse football great Chandler Jones is. Frankly, it’s none of my business.

But let’s assume that Jones, a Super Bowl champion, a two-time All-Pro and a member of the 2010s NFL All-Decade team, is doing okay money-wise.

Regardless of that, Jones, who played for the Orange from 2009-11, earned his degree from the ‘Cuse in human development and family science this past week, per an announcement from the university’s athletics department. And we should all applaud him.

Jones, who landed a Super Bowl ring with New England a few years back, when the Patriots defeated Seattle, has worked remotely to complete his coursework since opting out of his senior term at Syracuse to pursue his professional football career.

He admirably has placed a lot of value on a collegiate education, and all of us should thank him. Understandably, some student-athletes who ultimately turn pro don’t earn a degree, and that’s totally fine. They’re following their dreams, and oftentimes a degree isn’t in their cards.

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Yet Jones is illustrating the type of role model who should get emulated. His passion is sports, and football more specifically, but Jones has made a concerted effort to receive a degree as well, even if he doesn’t “need” one.

“Graduating is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Jones said in the cuse.com statement. “Education is important. It’s important to me. It’s very important to my family and it’s definitely essential. It feels outstanding to be an official Syracuse graduate and a Syracuse alum.”

You can’t put a price tag on that kind of amazing mentality. He truly believes that a college diploma proved pivotal to him, regardless of all the NFL accolades that he’s secured.

“It’s something I’m going to cherish forever,” Jones said. “It’s right up there with winning the Super Bowl.”

Jones, chosen in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft by New England, suited up for the Patriots until 2016, when he joined Arizona. Since arriving in the league, no NFL player has more sacks (96) or forced fumbles (27) than Jones does, says the announcement.

On Sunday, his degree will get conferred virtually as the university celebrates its class of 2020 in an online presentation. By the way, Jones’ older brother, Arthur, who competed in the NFL for eight stanzas with the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins, is also an Orange graduate.

Adds Chandler Jones, “Syracuse is a very prestigious school and for the Jones family to have two sons graduate from that same university is huge.”

Kudos to you, Chandler, for a job extremely well done.