Chris Payton-Jones

Chris Payton-Jones
Payton-Jones with the Tennessee Titans
No. 3, 5, 25, 41, 26, 23, 36
PositionCornerback
Personal information
Born(1995-08-13)August 13, 1995
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
DiedApril 11, 2026(2026-04-11) (aged 30)
Gainesville, Florida, U.S.
Listed height
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight
200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High schoolSandalwood (Jacksonville)
CollegeNebraska (2014–2017)
NFL draft2018: undrafted
Career history
* Offseason or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles48
Pass deflections7
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Chris Payton-Jones (August 13, 1995 – April 11, 2026) was an American professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) and United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

College career

Payton-Jones started 26 games for the Cornhuskers over the course of four seasons at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. As a junior, he had 3 interceptions, 10 pass breakups, and 37 tackles (including three for loss), and one sack and was named All-Big Ten honorable mention. Payton-Jones missed the first half of his senior season due to a knee injury, but returned to the field to start the Cornhuskers' last six games.

College statistics

Year Team G GS Tackles Interceptions
Solo Ast Tot Sacks Sacks-Yards Int PD FF FR
2014 Nebraska 6 0 5 2 7 0 0 0 0 0 1
2015 Nebraska 13 7 21 4 25 1 1–0 3 5 1 0
2016 Nebraska 13 13 33 4 37 1 1–0 3 10 0 0
2017 Nebraska 5 5 6 1 7 0 0 0 1 0 0

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand spanWingspan40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench press
5 ft 11+7⁄8 in
(1.83 m)		200 lb
(91 kg)		32+3⁄4 in
(0.83 m)		9+3⁄4 in
(0.25 m)		6 ft 6+1⁄4 in
(1.99 m)		4.53 s1.57 s2.65 s4.28 s6.96 s34.5 in
(0.88 m)		10 ft 1 in
(3.07 m)		14 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day

Detroit Lions (first stint)

Payton-Jones signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent on April 28, 2018. Payton-Jones failed to make the Lions' 53-man roster at the end of training camp and was waived by the team on September 1.

Arizona Cardinals

On September 3, 2018, Payton-Jones was signed to the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad. Payton-Jones was promoted to the Cardinals' active roster on November 20, and made his NFL debut on November 25, against the Los Angeles Chargers. He was waived on November 27, and re-signed to the team's practice squad two days later. Payton-Jones was promoted to the active roster on December 18.

Payton-Jones made his first career start on September 22, 2019, against the Carolina Panthers. Payton-Jones was waived by the Cardinals on October 9, and was re-signed to the team's practice squad. On November 8, Payton-Jones was again promoted to the active roster.

On September 5, 2020, Payton-Jones was waived during the final roster cuts. He was re-signed to the practice squad a day later.

Detroit Lions (second stint)

On September 16, 2020, Payton-Jones was signed by the Detroit Lions off the Cardinals practice squad. He was waived by the Lions on October 17. Payton-Jones was re-signed by the team on October 21, but was waived again on October 24.

Minnesota Vikings

Payton-Jones was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Vikings on October 26, 2020.

Tennessee Titans

Payton-Jones with the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2025

Payton-Jones signed with the Tennessee Titans on April 23, 2021. He was released on September 6, and was re-signed to the team's practice squad. Payton-Jones was promoted to the active roster on November 10. He was waived by Tennessee on January 4, 2022, and was re-signed to the practice squad.

Las Vegas Raiders

Payton-Jones signed as a free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders on June 13, 2022. He was released by the Raiders on August 23.

Seattle Sea Dragons

On November 17, 2022, Payton-Jones was drafted by the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL. The Sea Dragons folded when the XFL and USFL merged to create the United Football League (UFL).

St. Louis Battlehawks

On January 5, 2024, Payton-Jones was selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks during the 2024 UFL dispersal draft. He signed with the team on January 29. Payton-Jones re-signed with the team on August 26. He was placed on injured reserve on May 20, 2025.

Payton-Jones announced his retirement from pro football in January 2026.

Death

On April 11, 2026, Payton-Jones died in a car crash in Gainesville, Florida. He was 30 years old.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Arizona Cardinals promote former Husker Chris Jones to active roster". Omaha.com. Omaha World-Herald. November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Chris Jones - Football 2017". University of Nebraska - Official Athletics Website. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Chris Jones College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  4. ↑ Meinke, Kyle (April 28, 2018). "UDFA tracker: Lions sign wave of defensive backs after draft". MLive.com. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  5. ↑ Reisman, Jeremy; Platt, Kent Lee (September 1, 2018). "NFL roster cuts: Detroit Lions waive cornerback Chris Jones". PrideOfDetroit.com. SB Nation. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  6. ↑ Fitzgerald, Katherine (September 3, 2018). "With roster set, Cardinals begin preparing for season opener against Washington". The Arizona Republic. USA Today Network. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  7. ↑ Williams, Charean (November 20, 2018). "Cardinals sign David Amerson, promote Chris Jones, Jalen Tolliver". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
  8. ↑ Horn, Christian (November 25, 2018). "Former Huskers making big contributions in NFL this season". The Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  9. ↑ Odegard, Kyle (November 27, 2018). "Cardinals Sign Cornerbacks Dontae Johnson and Quinten Rollins". AZCardinals.com.
  10. ↑ Urban, Darren (November 29, 2018). "Cardinals Bring Back Offensive Lineman Will Holden". AZCardinals.com. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  11. ↑ Urban, Darren (December 18, 2018). "Cardinals Make More Moves At Cornerback". AZCardinals.com.
  12. ↑ "Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals - September 22nd, 2019-Snap counts". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  13. ↑ Williams, Charean (October 9, 2019). "Cardinals cut cornerback Chris Jones". Profootballtalk.com.
  14. ↑ Urban, Darren (November 8, 2019). "Cardinals Put Brooks Reed On IR, Promote Two From Practice Squad". azcardinals.com.
  15. ↑ Urban, Darren (September 5, 2020). "Cardinals Make Final Cuts To Get To Initial 53-Man Roster". azcardinals.com.
  16. ↑ Urban, Darren (September 6, 2020). "Cardinals Build Practice Squad, Including Weaver, Foster". azcardinals.com.
  17. ↑ Schlitt, Erik (September 16, 2020). "Lions signed CB Chris Jones to the active roster". Lions Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Lions activate Joe Dahl from IR, promote David Blough from practice squad". Pride of Detroit. SB Nation. October 17, 2020.
  19. ↑ Alper, Josh (October 21, 2020). "Lions put Julian Okwara on IR, sign DB Chris Jones". NBCSports.com. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  20. ↑ Schlitt, Erik (October 24, 2020). "Detroit Lions activate Bo Scarbrough and Mike Ford from IR, release Chris Jones and Kenny Wiggins". USAToday.com. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Vikings Announce Roster Moves". Vikings.com. Minnesota Vikings. October 26, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  22. ↑ Wyatt, Jim (April 23, 2021). "Titans Add Four Players to Roster". TennesseeTitans.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  23. ↑ Wyatt, Jim (September 6, 2021). "Titans Activate TE Geoff Swaim from Reserve/COVID-19 List, Waive DB Chris Jones, LB Justin March-Lillard". TennesseeTitans.com. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  24. ↑ Wyatt, Jim (September 7, 2021). "Titans Make Several Roster Moves On Roster, and Practice Squad". TennesseeTitans.com. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  25. ↑ Wyatt, Jim (November 10, 2021). "Titans Move CB Kristian Fulton to the Team's "Designated for Return From Injured Reserve" List". TennesseeTitans.com.
  26. ↑ Wyatt, Jim (January 4, 2022). "Titans Release DB Chris Jones and LB Joe Jones From the Active Roster, Along With Three Players From the Practice Squad, Including WR Golden Tate". TennesseeTitans.com.
  27. ↑ "Raiders sign CB Chris Jones". Raiders.com. June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Raiders trim roster to 80-player limit". Raiders.com. August 23, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Rosters for all eight XFL teams: Full draft results and where Vic Beasley, Martavis Bryant landed". ESPN.com. November 18, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  30. ↑ Seifert, Kevin (January 1, 2024). "Newly formed United Football League sets 8 markets, tabs coaches". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  31. ↑ Larsen, James [@JamesLarsenPFN] (January 5, 2024). "Breaking: DB Chris Payton-Jones announced that he was selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks in the #XFL Dispersal Draft yesterday" (Tweet). Retrieved January 6, 2024 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  32. ↑ @UFL_PR (January 29, 2024). "The United Football League has announced the following transactions" (Tweet). Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  33. ↑ @UFL_PR (August 26, 2024). "The #UFL has announced the following transactions" (Tweet). Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  34. ↑ Larsen, James (May 21, 2025). "Battlehawks Lose Defensive Standouts, Stallions Cut Corners". PFNewsroom.com. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  35. ↑ Brinkerhoff, Nick; read, USA TODAY·2 min (April 13, 2026). "Chris Payton-Jones, former Nebraska, NFL cornerback, dies at 30". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved April 13, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  36. ↑ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  37. ↑ Barney, Justin (April 12, 2026). "'One of my all-time favorites': Friends, coaches recall impact of Chris Payton-Jones". WJXT. Retrieved April 12, 2026.