Why LB Ernest Jones IV says Seahawks ‘have something special’

Jan 7, 2025, 9:47 AM | Updated: 2:48 pm

Seattle Sports

The Seattle Seahawks’ season ended without a trip to the playoffs, but there were encouraging sings for the future that cropped up throughout the season.

One of those reasons for hope was the play of linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who the Seahawks acquired in an Oct. 23 trade with the Tennessee Titans.

Ernest Jones IV gives strong statement about his future with Seahawks

The acquisition of Jones marked the start of a shakeup to the linebacker room and the beginning of the turnaround experienced by a Seahawks defense that got off to a tough start under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald.

Jones reflected on his first year with the Seahawks and discussed what his transition was like following the midseason trade in a conversation Monday with Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob.

“Most definitely,” Jones said on if he viewed his 10-game stint with the Seahawks as a success. “I came in (on) short notice… and had to learn a brand-new playbook and come in and perform. And I think I played well, definitely could have played better, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow with this group because I believe we have something special.”

Jones’ first game with the team came just four days after he was traded. He was immediately thrust into the starting lineup since Jerome Baker, one of the team’s two starters at linebacker to start the season, was traded to Tennessee in the deal for Jones.

“Mike was just telling me to kind of come in and just be myself,” Jones said of the Seahawks’ coach. “We haven’t really ran across each other, but he’s heard of me. And he just wanted me to come in and just be myself and do the things that I do well and just continue to work with the guys. Mike’s a great head coach. Just love going to war with him, and I can see myself doing that for a while.”

Jones’ impact on the defense was almost immediate. The unit struggled in his first game against the Bills, but was much better as a whole moving forward. After allowing opponents to average 24.4 points and 148.4 rushing yards per game through its first eight games, the defense surrendered just 19.4 points and 92.3 rushing yards per game over the final nine.

Jones also took over signal-calling duties on defense after just two games with Seattle due to another season-opening starter, Tyrel Dodson, being cut midseason. He said he truly didn’t have the playbook down until his sixth game with the team and that he’s still learning.

“I think around the second Arizona game,” Jones said of when asked about when Macdonald’s scheme started to feel like second nature. “I still don’t have it all the way down. Like, there’s still a lot of stuff that I’m going to clean up this offseason and get fixed, but I think around the Arizona game I started to get a lot more comfortable.”

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The most of encouraging news of all surrounding Jones, whose final year of his rookie contract was this season, is that he is confident he’ll be wearing a Seahawks uniform again in 2025.

“Yes, I’m feeling pretty confident here. I think both sides want to get something done,” Jones said of working out a new deal with the team. “We just got to come to a mutual agreement and whatever that those numbers or whatever those situations or whatever that may be, that’s what that’s going to be. But I think both sides are working towards that, and I think it will (happen).”

‘He’s gonna continue to get better’

Jones spent much of his time in a Seahawks uniform playing alongside a rookie: Tyrice Knight, who took over as the team’s second starting linebacker after Dodson was cut.

Jones came away impressed with what the fourth-round pick out of UTEP showed during his first year in the league.

“For me, I think Tyrice already (had) like God-given talent and his ability is there. But of course when you’re young, you have to go through those growing pains,” Jones said. “So Tyrice is going to be a really good linebacker in this league, man. Just the way he goes at it, he works at it and you could tell he wants it. He’s hungry, and I think he had a great year. I think … he definitely had great games and he’s gonna continue to get better.”

A new favorite player

Jones told Wyman and Bob that he hasn’t had a favorite NFL player since he joined the league himself in 2021, but that changed once he came to Seattle.

“Devon Witherspoon is my favorite,” he said. “I’m amazed watching the stuff that he can do, the way his body does the things that he does.”

Listen to the full conversation with Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV at this link or in the audio player in this story. Tune in to Wyman and Bob weekdays from 2-6 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.