Jones retires as Bomber

WINNIPEG—Khari Jones has found a way to end his CFL career on a high note.
The quarterback inked a standard one-year contract plus an option with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers yesterday, then turned around and signed his retirement papers.

The paperwork means Jones officially retires as a Bomber—the team he had the most success with during his four-team, nine-year CFL career.
“I’ve always felt like this was where I belonged, no matter which team I played for, I’ve always felt like this was home for me,” Jones, 36, said at a press conference.
“I’m so happy I got the opportunity to play the majority of my career here.”
Jones first entered the CFL with the B.C. Lions in 1997, but didn’t play much. He was traded to Winnipeg in February, 2000 and replaced Kerwin Bell part-way through that year.
He remained with the Blue Bombers until a trade to Calgary midway through 2004 and played four games with the Stamps.
He signed as a free agent with Hamilton the following year and played eight games. Last year, he was cut at the end of the Edmonton Eskimos’ training camp.
Jones holds the Bombers’ record for most passing yards in a season (5,334 in 2002), most consecutive 3,000-yard passing seasons (four), and most completions in a season (382 in 2002).
He and Bombers’ general manager Brendan Taman joked yesterday about actually having Jones suit up with word 39-year-old fullback Sean Millington was only formalities away from coming out of retirement to sign with the Toronto Argonauts.
But Jones said he’s sure this is the right time for him to hang it up, continue being part of the CBC’s CFL broadcast crew, and maybe turn his sights toward coaching one day.
“Although I didn’t play last year and I didn’t think I was going to play, there was still a possibility,” Jones said. “Whereas this year, I felt I was away from the game enough to know.
“Although nothing is ever 100 percent, I think this is pretty close and I feel comfortable with it.”
Jones’ breakout season was 2001, when he guided the Bombers to a 14-4 regular-season record and the Grey Cup game (a loss to Calgary). He was named the league’s most outstanding player for 2001—the first time for a Bomber since QB Tom Clements in 1987.
“Although we didn’t get the big prize, which is the Grey Cup, I’m very proud of what we were able to accomplish as a team and the chemistry we had,” Jones said.
In 2002, he led the league in numerous categories and set or tied 18 Bombers records, including throwing a club-record 46 touchdowns (third in the CFL all-time).
Slotback Milt Stegall hauled in a league season-record 23 TDs that year and was named most outstanding player.