USC Hall of Famer Jon Arnett dead at 85

USC football legend Jon Arnett died over the weekend at the age of 85. 

There have been several notable deaths in the sports world so far in 2021 and sadly, there is another to report.

USC Trojans legend Jon Arnett died over the weekend at the age of 85. The school’s Twitter account announced the news Monday night.

Remembering the career of Jon Arnett

Arnett played with the Trojans from 1954-1956 and was finally inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001. The Los Angeles native had 24 rushing touchdowns in his college career to go along with his 1,898 yards.

His play in college led to him being the No. 2 overall selection in the 1957 NFL Draft by his hometown Los Angeles Rams. He was a five-time Pro Bowler with the team before spending the final three years of his career with the Chicago Bears.

Want a fun fact? Arnett was taken No. 2 overall in a draft that saw 360 players drafted in a total of 30 rounds. Hall of Famer Paul Hornung went No. 1 overall and Jim Brown was drafted at No. 6. It was a star-studded first round that also saw Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson taken at No. 5 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Of course, his best years came in Kansas City.

Arnett held his own in that draft class and posted a career-high of 683 yards during the 1958 season. That was his best mark between college and the NFL.

Arnett’s death is terribly sad news and our condolences go out to his entire family and everyone who was close with him. The man known as “Jaguar Jon” created a legacy for himself in Southern California that will continue to live on through his accomplishments on the football field.

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