NASHVILLE – The Titans are keeping center Ben Jones, one of their key leaders on offense.
On Monday, the Titans and Jones agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension, which means the tough veteran will be back in the middle of the team's offensive line in 2022.
A 10-year veteran, Jones has spent the past six seasons with the Titans.
Jones has missed just one start for the Titans since arriving in 2016, after playing his first four NFL seasons with the Texans.
Titans offensive line coach Keith Carter raved about Jones and his toughness during the 2021 season, when Jones started all 17 regular season games, and the team's playoff contest.
"Coaching this game and at this level, you are around a lot of tough people," Carter said of Jones. "But I've never been around anybody as tough as Ben. My hat goes off to him. I have more respect for him than I could possibly say in words. He is the toughest son of a gun, man. He is just made of the right stuff. It's a chip on his shoulder. He is fighting through pain, not being helped off the field, getting back up … that is a source of self-pride for him. As we can all tell and witness with our own eyes, he is tougher than hell, man."
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Jones has started 96 of a possible 97 games since joining the Titans prior to the 2016 season. Jones has regularly appeared on injury reports, and he's left games for short periods of time.
But he's always answered the bell.
From 2012 through 2021, the University of Georgia product appeared in 160 of 161 possible regular season games, including starts in all but one contest. During his six seasons with the Titans (2016- 21), he was one of only eight offensive linemen to start at least 96 of a possible 97 games. He finished the 2021 campaign with an active streak of 40 consecutive starts, ranking third among centers.
"Ben is about as tough as they come," Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said of Jones during the 2021 season. "You see him battling through constantly. … It feels like every game or every couple games there is an instance where he gets rolled up on, twists an ankle, MCL, I don't know I am just making stuff up, but something goes wrong and he has an injury.
"Then you see him in the huddle, he is gritting. 'Ben, are you OK? Do you need to go down?' And he is, 'No, I am good.' He has got this face on like he just bit into the world's sourest lime or lemon, but he is gutting it out. The guys in the huddle, they see that. We realize how tough he is and thankful we have a guy that wants to battle it out out there with us and really set the tone up front."
Jones, who played in college at the University of Georgia, said in a 2021 interview he takes pride in playing, no matter the pain.
"If I am able to get up, I am going to get up," Jones said. "I just want to be out there. I want to win games, and I want to win a championship."
A 10-year veteran, Jones has spent the past six seasons with the Titans. Jones has missed just one start for the Titans since arriving in 2016, after playing his first four NFL seasons with the Texans.
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans contract signing at Saint Thomas Sports Park on March 10, 2022 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans contract signing at Saint Thomas Sports Park on March 10, 2022 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans contract signing at Saint Thomas Sports Park on March 10, 2022 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans contract signing at Saint Thomas Sports Park on March 10, 2022 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans at Nissan Stadium on NOVEMBER 21, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans after the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Houston, TX. Photo By Cameron Faulkner/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans on the bench during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Miami Dolphins at Nissan Stadium on January 02, 2022 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Joe Howell/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on November 07, 2021 in Los Angeles, CA. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Guard/center Aaron Brewer #62 of the Tennessee Titans and Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on November 07, 2021 in Los Angeles, CA. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during pregame introductions before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Cameron Faulkner/Tennessee Titans
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans with Ben Jones #60 before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the New Orleans Saints at Nissan Stadium on NOVEMBER 14, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Corey Levin #61, Aaron Brewer #62, Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans in tunnel before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during pregame introductions before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Cornerback Elijah Molden #24 of the Tennessee Titans and Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Indianapolis, IN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on November 07, 2021 in Los Angeles, CA. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 31, 2021 in Indianapolis, IN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Tight end MyCole Pruitt #85 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs at Nissan Stadium on October 24, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Joe Howell/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans flex with Running back Derrick Henry #22 of the Tennessee Titans during the Monday Night Football game between the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo Bills at Nissan Stadium on OCTOBER 18, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on October 10, 2021 in Jacksonville, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the pregame introductions before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs at Nissan Stadium on OCTOBER 24, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center/guard Corey Levin #61 of the Tennessee Titans and Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans before the Monday Night Football game between the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo Bills at Nissan Stadium on October 18, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Cameron Faulkner/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on October 10, 2021 in Jacksonville, FL. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans, Quarterback Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans and Guard Rodger Saffold III #76 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 03, 2021 in East Rutherford, NJ. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titanss during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium on SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 03, 2021 in East Rutherford, NJ. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium on September 26, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans and Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 03, 2021 in East Rutherford, NJ. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans and Guard Rodger Saffold III #76 of the Tennessee Titansduring the away game between the Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Stadium on September 19, 2021 in Seattle, WA. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans before the away game between the Tennessee Titans and the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Stadium on September 19, 2021 in Seattle, WA. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Arizona Cardinals at Nissan Stadium on September 12, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans and Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the New Orleans Saints at Nissan Stadium on November 14, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Joe Howell/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Arizona Cardinals at Nissan Stadium on September 12, 2021 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Donald Page/Tennessee Titans
Center Ben Jones #60 of the Tennessee Titans during the divisional playoff game between the Tennessee Titans and the Cincinnati Bengals at Nissan Stadium on January 22, 2022 in Nashville, TN. Photo By Justin Ford/Tennessee Titans
