Dhani Jones ranks in the all-time elite tier for linebackers β a career that places Jones in the top 10% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns Jones a career score of 67, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.
Dhani Jones
Height6'1"
Weight236 lb
BornFeb 22, 1978
Age48
CollegeMichiganSee College Stats
Rookie yr2000
Draft2000 Β· Rd 6, Pick 177 Β· NYG
A high-end linebacker defined as much by exceptional availability β almost never missed time as by their on-field impact (top 10% all-time). Coaches and teammates could count on them being available.
Career Value Β· VORP
VORP 158 Β· #580 Β· High-ValueWorth 158 points of value above a freely-available replacement linebacker β top 13% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 9 of 10 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +17.6 on average.See board β
Seasons above replacement
9 cleared
Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it β adds 0, never a debit
47
Replacement
the KC-H bar
β
9
Seasons over
cleared the bar
Γ
+17.6
Avg surplus
peak +27
9 seasons Γ ~17.6 surplus β VORP 158
Combined Season Grid
The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at onceβno tab hopping.
1 grid split in one view
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Defense | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 2001 | β | NYG | 6 | β | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | β | NYG | 15 | β | 63 | 41 | 22 | 8 | 0 | 0.0 | 8.0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | β | NYG | 16 | β | 92 | 66 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | β | PHI | 16 | β | 63 | 42 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | β | PHI | 16 | β | 61 | 50 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | β | PHI | 16 | β | 61 | 40 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | β | CIN | 14 | β | 80 | 50 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | β | CIN | 16 | β | 101 | 60 | 41 | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | β | CIN | 16 | β | 102 | 66 | 36 | 9 | 6 | 3.5 | 18.5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | β | CIN | 16 | β | 110 | 71 | 39 | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 |
| Career | β | 147 | β | 742 | 493 | 249 | 26 | 13 | 9.0 | 48.0 | 5 | 44 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
Defense
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 23 | NYG | 6 | β | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 2.8 |
| 2002 | 24 | NYG | 15 | β | 63 | 41 | 22 | 8 | 0 | 0.0 | 8.0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 2003 | 25 | NYG | 16 | β | 92 | 66 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8.8 |
| 2004 | 26 | PHI | 16 | β | 63 | 42 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 8.2 |
| 2005 | 27 | PHI | 16 | β | 61 | 50 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 8.5 |
| 2006 | 28 | PHI | 16 | β | 61 | 40 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 6.8 |
| 2007 | 29 | CIN | 14 | β | 80 | 50 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | β | 0 | 0 | 7.1 |
| 2008 | 30 | CIN | 16 | β | 101 | 60 | 41 | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.6 |
| 2009 | 31 | CIN | 16 | β | 102 | 66 | 36 | 9 | 6 | 3.5 | 18.5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2010 | 32 | CIN | 16 | β | 110 | 71 | 39 | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 | 7.2 |
| Career | 147 | 742 | 493 | 249 | 26 | 13 | β | β | 5 | 44 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 77 |
KV-H Anatomy
KV-H 67 Β· Strong StarterA strong starter career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 67 of 100, era-normalized against tackles/g peers across 10 scored seasons.
63
Sustained
career value
Γ.6
72
Peak
best 3 seasons
Γ.4
Γ1
Longevity
career length
Blend 66.6 Γ longevity 1 = KV-H 67Β· confidence 98%
What builds the career mark of 63
On-field 43.9
Availability 19.1
On-field production Staying available
Season-by-season quality (era-relative tackles/g)
2001bestavg 61elite 702010
All-Time Standing
how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position5
Depth
of 100
Reached 5% of the all-time Sacks leader β a rotational/depth all-time profile at the position.
5% of the all-time Sacks leader5
0 categories β₯25% of the all-time leader0
A 0β100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data β career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence β so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite β₯ 85 Β· Strong β₯ 65 Β· Solid β₯ 45 Β· Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 90%.
Career Aging Trajectory
vs. position group average Β· KV-H basisAmber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average linebackers aging curve. Group peak age: 25. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).
Combine Β· 2000
Percentiles compare each raw measurement against position peers, the full combine pool, and the same draft class where enough samples exist.
4.68s
40-Yard
Below avg Β· 49th pct
Pos 49thAll 47thClass Pos 55thClass All 47th
29 reps
Bench
Elite Β· 94th pct
Pos 94thAll 89thClass Pos 97thClass All 94th
Postseason Career
7 playoff gamesDefense
Tkl25Solo17Ast8PD2
College stats are not imported for this profile yet.
StatVault has the verified college attribution (Michigan), but no parsed college box-score table is present in this profile artifact. The section stays here so every profile has a consistent college-stats landing point without fabricating unavailable rows.
Reference Graph
Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters β every name is linked.
Top Teammates
Tiki BarberRB5yJohnathan JosephCB4yDomata Peko Sr.NT4yCarson PalmerQB4yChad JohnsonWR4yLeon HallDB4yFrostee RuckerDE4yRobert GeathersDE4yWilliam JamesDB4yJonathan FaneneDE4yChinedum NdukweDB4yBrian DawkinsS3yMichael StrahanDE3yTerrell OwensWR3yShayne GrahamK3yKerry CollinsQB3yAmani ToomerWR3yDavid AkersK3yDonovan McNabbQB3yMicheal BarrowLB3yKeith HamiltonDT3ySheldon BrownCB3yIke HilliardWR3yPat SimsDT3y
2000 Draft ClassΒ· this player went #177
Franchise Succession
the room, before and afterDhani inherited the Cincinnati Bengals LB room from Rashad Jeanty (2006β2009), and handed it to Keith Rivers (2008β2010).
Similar Players
Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0β100%).
Movementderived from season history
- 2010final season
Last recorded season with CIN
- 2007team change
Joined CIN (from PHI)
- 2004team change
Joined PHI (from NYG)
- 2000draft
Drafted by NYG β Round 6, Pick 177
Athletic & Unique Profile
verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts6'1" / 236 lb
Frame
240 lb at 4.68s
Size-speed
29 reps
Bench power
Injury History
No game-status injuries on record since 2009 (nflverse weekly reports).
Knox
StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works β
Historical Knox Β· KV-H
Era-normalized career quality β z-scored against 10-season peers. See all β
67
peak 72
Season Report CardsΒ· KV-H era-normalized per season
F2001
C+2002
B2003
C+2004
C+2005
C+2006
B2007
B+2008
B+2009
B+2010
Availability
Career durability β games played vs. scheduled, across 10 seasons.
98%
Era Translator
Tackles translated to the 2025NFL β each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.
| Season | Actual Tackles | Tackles/G | β 2025 Tackles | β 2025 /G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 9 | 1.5 | 2-7 | 0.1 |
| 2002 | 63 | 4.2 | 57-6 | 3.3 |
| 2003 | 92 | 5.8 | 92 | 5.4 |
| 2004 | 63 | 3.9 | 51-12 | 3 |
| 2005 | 61 | 3.8 | 48-13 | 2.8 |
| 2006 | 61 | 3.8 | 49-12 | 2.9 |
| 2007 | 80 | 5.7 | 91+11 | 5.3 |
| 2008 | 101 | 6.3 | 103+2 | 6.1 |
| 2009 | 102 | 6.4 | 102 | 6 |
| 2010 | 110 | 6.9 | 112+2 | 6.6 |
Data: nflverse:players, nflverse:player_stats_def, nflverse:combine, nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:injuries, espn.com:stats-api (facts-only reference) Β· multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle Β· updated 6/18/2026
Career Value Β· VORP
158 career value over replacement β #580 all-time of 4,642. 15.8/season above a replacement-level LB.
Draft OutcomeSteal β
Pick #177 (Rd 6) Β· NYG Β· 2000 Β· +40.1 vs expected KV-H
67actual
26.9 expected Β· Ξ+40.1
Fan Rating
Rate Dhani Jones β All-Time
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