[1] Born in St. Mary's, Georgia, Ty's football career began at Camden County High School, Camden County, Georgia.
Jones played his college football at Southern University.
He started his 9-year CFL career in 1983, eventually playing eight seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1983–1987, 1989–1991), one with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1992) and one with the B.C.
He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award in 1985 and was on winning Grey Cup teams in 1984 and 1990 (winning the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player in 1984).
[1][2] Jones was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer (a teratoma) in August 2005 and fought the disease for nearly three years, dying on June 10, 2008, at the age of 46.