Surgery Done, Recovery Under Way
Johnnie “DJ” Jones is out of surgery. Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz announced this morning that the freshman offensive lineman had a heart transplant Wednesday night and is now recovering in the hospital.
Jones is 18. Drinkwitz had told reporters on Tuesday that the tackle was at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and needed a transplant urgently. Less than two days later, the operation is behind him. “We are so thankful for the incredible prayers and support from the entire Mizzou Family,” Drinkwitz said.
no renewal
Free for 2 weeks.
A Problem Caught Early
The issue did not surface on the field. Missouri’s medical staff spotted a heart problem during a physical over the summer and sent Jones to the clinic for further testing. That follow-up led to the hospital stay that ended in surgery this week.
Jones arrived in Columbia with real pedigree. He is a 6-foot-6, 315-pound tackle from Bradenton, Florida, and a four-star recruit in the Class of 2026 out of Venice High School. The 247Sports consensus ranked him 16th among offensive linemen nationally. He picked the Tigers over Georgia, Ole Miss, Florida, Florida State and others.
Football is a distant second right now. No timetable has been given for his recovery, and Missouri has not said what comes next for him once he leaves the hospital.
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