Former Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Cam Jones was waived by the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday, clearing a roster spot as the team designated linebacker Cooper McDonald to return from injured reserve, via the NFL transaction wire.
For Indiana fans, the move ends the latest chapter in a career that turned an undrafted free agent from Bloomington into a Super Bowl champion.
Jones, a Memphis native, spent five seasons with the Hoosiers (2018–2022) and left as one of only three three-time team captains in program history, alongside Antwaan Randle El and Emmett King.
He finished with 209 career tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two interceptions (including a 44-yard pick-six against UConn in 2019), five forced fumbles, and multiple honorable-mention All-Big Ten nods.
As a true freshman, he was named IU’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year; later he earned the Howard Brown “Dedication to IU Football” Award.
A foot injury limited him to five games in 2022, but his leadership and production under Tom Allen made him a steady presence on defenses that reached the Gator and Outback Bowls.
Signed by the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2023, Jones made the 53-man roster and appeared in all 17 games each of his first two seasons, mostly as a special-teams contributor who also recorded 36 tackles.
He earned a Super Bowl LVIII ring when Kansas City beat the 49ers. After the Chiefs waived him in 2025, the Jets claimed him; he played 10 games before a hip injury sent him to IR.
A brief stint with the Giants followed in 2026 before the Chiefs brought him back in August, first to the practice squad and then to the active roster on October 13. He logged 15 special-teams snaps in a Week 6 win over the Chargers before Tuesday’s waiver.
From an Indiana standpoint, Jones embodies the program’s recent progress in developing overlooked talent into NFL contributors.
His path from Memorial Stadium captain to Super Bowl roster regular offered a visible reminder that Hoosier production can translate at the next level, even without draft pedigree.
While his defensive snaps remained limited, his special-teams reliability and the respect he earned in Kansas City’s building reflected the same accountability and toughness that defined his time in Bloomington.
At 27, Jones now sits on the open market. Teams seeking special-teams depth or linebacker insurance could still claim him, and his prior ties to the Chiefs leave open the possibility of a practice-squad return once McDonald’s activation window settles.
For Hoosier Nation, the release is simply the latest turn in a career that has already delivered more than most undrafted players ever achieve.
