Pitt's Patrick Jones won't play in a bowl game
Defensive end Patrick Jones II announced Friday on Twitter that he is declaring for the NFL Draft and will not join Pitt in a bowl game, if an invitation is offered.
Jones played Thursday night in Pitt’s final regular-season game, a 34-20 victory against Georgia Tech. He led the team with seven tackles.
Jones’ teammates Rashad Weaver and Damar Hamlin also declared for the draft this week and did not travel with the team to Atlanta. The Georgia Tech game was supposed to be played Nov. 14, but it was postponed until Thursday because of covid-19 issues on both teams. Otherwise, Pitt’s regular season would have ended Nov. 28 with the Clemson game.
Weaver explained in a tweet Friday that he had previously planned to begin his training for the NFL Draft during the first week in December. The rescheduled Georgia Tech game created a conflict and he decided to follow through with his original plan.
Jones and Weaver leave Pitt as perhaps Pitt’s two best defensive ends to play on the same team in school history.
Jones leads the Power 5 with nine sacks. Weaver shares the ACC lead in tackles for loss (14 1/2) with teammate SirVocea Dennis. They combined for 39 sacks and 68 tackles for a loss in their careers.
Forever grateful ?? #H2P #QBK #91out✌? pic.twitter.com/oxn5QQnkf6
— Patrick Jones II (@P_jones9) December 11, 2020
You’ll be missed Weav!! #H2P https://t.co/mKXua1jQ7h
— Charlie Partridge (@CoachPartridge) December 11, 2020
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Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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