June Jones, football innovator and former Hawaii coach, dies at 73

June Jones, a prominent football coach and pioneer of the “run and shoot” offense, has passed away at the age of 73. He died in Oregon after entering hospice care following a diagnosis of a tumor and complications from type 1 diabetes and spinal issues.

Jones is most widely recognized for his transformative tenure at the University of Hawaii from 1999 to 2007. After inheriting a winless program, he led the Rainbow Warriors to a 76-41 record, including an undefeated 12-0 regular season in 2007 and an appearance in the Sugar Bowl. He remains the winningest head coach in the program's history.

His professional career spanned four decades and multiple leagues, including the NFL, CFL, USFL, and XFL. He served as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 1994 to 1996, leading them to a playoff berth in 1995. Other notable coaching roles included stints with the San Diego Chargers, SMU, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL, and the Houston Roughnecks in the XFL.